Wigan teenager develops app to help businesses reduce Covid-19 risk

A teenager has developed a new app which could minimise the Covid-19 risk for Wigan businesses and their customers.

Jonti Richardson, 17, has created “Ping My” with the help of dad Danny, and it has already been snatched up by several food-serving businesses across the borough.

The app utilises small electronic chips that can be used as business cards, or can placed in the middle of tables at restaurants.

Users tap their phones on them and the restaurant’s menu pops up, allowing you to browse the menu and order without touching anything else. The concept could be a game-changer in the effort to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19, when coupled with proper social distancing measures.

Among its early adopters are Casino De Cuba, Gelato Royale, Ella Turkish restaurant and Sweet Ting.

Jonti, who lives in Spring View and recently finished his first year at Winstanley College, said: “It can be programmed to anything. We have something similar for our front door, which is where I got the idea from.

“It works the same but programmed to different things, like business cards, where all your details can uploaded, and menus for tables in restaurants. We’re just developing our own software for it.

“We used a third party app to get it started, and my dad helped me buy and import the materials.”

The response to Jonti’s app caught him by surprise.

“It’s been a lot busier than I expected,” he said.

“I’ve been working on it for about two or three months. Once the materials we ordered arrived from China, we just did it. I’m really pleased [with the reaction].

“I think it’s going to really take off, because of coronavirus. It’s helping with things like online menus, so there’s no need to touch anything, you can do away with a paper menu. It will get rid of all that, it’s all very Covid-19 friendly.”

The Old Band House bar and restaurant in Wigan Road, Ashton is also of the borough businesses that has started using Ping My.

Robert Andrews, the venue’s manager, said feedback for the app had been positive among customers.

“Since we reopened, we ordered 1,000 new paper menus. But under new regulations, we’re allowed to reuse the menus but we have to sanitise them,” Mr Andrews said.

“With the alcohol content in the sanitiser, it is ruining the menus. We’ve already gone through about 800 of them, so we needed to find something new, fast. We found Ping My, and I really like them.”

He added: “They’ve made my life a whole lot easier! Sometimes it can take a while to go through it and explain it to people, and not every one has a new phone.

“But everyone who has used it has said it’s very cool and very modern. It makes sense [to use it].”

To find out more about the app, search for “Ping My” on Facebook.