Veronika Stoyanova, Lecturer in Political Sociology has teamed up with two local business owners Jack Mayhew of Bramley’s Bar and Sam Holden of The Monument Pub to create DEFY. This app maps out all independents in your area and helps boost their popularity by making them easier to find, offering discounts, and highlighting promotions.   

With the cost of living and energy crisis, the team have spent months worrying about tough conditions and the concern of rare and special places in Kent being shut down amid our current economic climate.  

“DEFY. came out of frustration with how little your chances are of weathering a recession if you’re a small independent business. So, we came up with an idea that’s very simple – an app that maps out all independents in your area and gives you access to discounts and offers from them, as well as alerting you to local events and campaigns. Businesses, for once, pay nothing to be on it. Users pay 99p a month but gain that back with just one visit to the local pub. A friend recently saved £8 in a week using 10% off in a local cafe and 20% off in a local pub.” Veronika Stoyanova 

As a non-profit organisation, the 99p subscription fee will initially go towards running costs, but as the team hopes to map out much of the country, they aim to get to a stage when they can offer interest-free loans, free legal advice, and cash-back rewards to businesses on the app.   

You can download DEFY now and further information can be found on the DEFY website. There’s already a wide range of independent Canterbury businesses on the app including The Fig Wine Bar, The Ballroom, Burgate Coffee House and Citi Terrace.