Loqiva is pleased to announce a new partnership with I Love Clarkston, All About Barrhead, and Giffnock BID to deliver a shared digital town hub for East Renfrewshire. The “Explore East Ren” platform will offer an all-in-one mobile app that showcases local events, promotes businesses, and connects communities, alongside powerful tools for BID teams to engage residents, gather feedback, and measure impact.

The initiative is the first of its kind in Scotland to bring multiple Business Improvement Districts together under one shared digital infrastructure.

Jenny Dunlop, BID Manager for the three towns, said:

“East Renfrewshire has three Business Improvement Districts, each with its own strengths but we’re united by a shared goal: to keep our high streets thriving.

This new platform allows us to promote everything our towns have to offer in one place, whether someone’s looking for a great lunch spot in Giffnock, an event in Barrhead, or a new boutique in Clarkston. It’s about making local life easier, more connected, and more visible.

Crucially, it also gives our businesses the chance to reach a much wider audience across all three towns and beyond. That kind of regional visibility is hard to achieve as a single high street, but together, we can create real momentum.”

Each town brings something different to the table:

• Clarkston is a friendly, close-knit community with a strong mix of independents, known for its family feel and accessible high street.
• Barrhead is a town on the rise, with a growing number of businesses and key assets like the Barrhead Foundry making it a hub for leisure and learning.
• Giffnock is a popular destination renowned for its high-end restaurants, thriving café culture, and wide range of independent retail and service businesses with a strong community feel.
  

The local app will give residents and visitors a seamless way to discover what’s on, where to go, and how to support local, while giving businesses a free-to-use platform to promote offers, events, and updates. The operations of the BIDs are supported with live analytics and communication tools.

Marcus Chidgey, Co-founder of Loqiva, said:

“This is a really forward-thinking approach from the East Renfrewshire BIDs. Rather than competing for attention, they’re creating a unified digital presence that celebrates the individuality of each town while amplifying their collective strength.

We’re proud to provide the infrastructure that makes this possible, and we’re excited to see how residents, businesses and BID teams use it to make everyday town life smarter, simpler and more connected.”

The “Explore East Ren” app will be available for download on the App Store and Google Play in September, with more details to be shared soon.

For further information and images, please contact our team at hello@loqiva.com.