Questions and answers

Where do the venues come from?

Two kinds of public record. Councils' licence applications: a venue that wants to sell alcohol, or serve hot food late at night, applies to its council, which publishes the application. And the Food Standards Agency's food register, where every food business must register with its council (in Scotland, Food Standards Scotland's Food Hygiene Information Scheme). We read both every day.

How often does the list come?

Every Monday, by email, with a spreadsheet attached. Each list has the new venues we found since the last one.

Which areas do you cover?

You choose a region: East Counties, East Midlands, London, North East, North West, South East, South West, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. A free trial covers one region; Whole UK is for paid plans. The food register covers every council in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Licence applications come from 242 councils so far, with more being added: see the map and the list of councils.

How early do I hear about a new venue?

A licence application is published for 28 days before the council decides, so it often reaches you weeks before the venue opens. A business on the food register reaches you once it has registered and is still waiting for its first hygiene inspection: usually before or around when it opens.

Is there personal data in the list?

The list is about premises, not people: the business's trading name, its type and the premises address. We never show a person's full name; a business registered under a person's own name shows as “Name withheld”. A business that may be run from a private home shows only its town and the first half of its postcode. The list has no phone numbers or email addresses. Our privacy notice says more.

How does the free trial work?

Free for 4 weeks. No card. Nothing to pay unless you choose a plan. You get the list every Monday for 4 weeks. When the trial ends, the list stops by itself: there is nothing to cancel.

What does it cost after the trial?

After the trial, if you choose a plan: £49 a month per region, or £399 a month, Whole UK. Month to month: cancel whenever you like.

How do I cancel?

During the trial there is nothing to cancel, and every weekly email has a link to stop it in one click. A paid plan is month to month: cancel whenever you like, and the list carries on to the end of the month you have paid for.

Can I get an invoice?

Yes, on request: email hello@venuespotter.co.uk. The same goes for VAT details. The trial is free, so there is nothing to invoice until you choose a plan.

Anything else?

Email hello@venuespotter.co.uk, or request a free trial.