A Hucknall based businessman has launched an app that allows people to select and order takeaways from an array of local eateries in the town.

Steve Hodgkinson founded Hucknall Eats four weeks ago with the aim of helping encourage people to buy their takeaways from local businesses. At present, they have 24 local establishments signed up.

He said: "Obviously as a business idea it's nothing unique. Online food ordering is quite a genius idea, it's brought a convenience to food ordering and made the choice simpler for the consumer and also helps the businesses grow by reaching them to a larger audience.

"We're basically doing a similar thing but just a more localised version of that. What we're trying to bring to the table is a more community led approach to what we're doing."

As someone who has run other businesses himself, Hodgkinson is acutely aware of the current demands on local businesses.

"We're a completely standalone business. What you find with these larger people, the commissions are quite high, what they charge the takeaways. It might be ok if you're a very large successful takeaway but some of the businesses are struggling. It's quite tough for them. It is a very long hard slog every day and then they have to give a large portion of their profit away at the end, which makes it very difficult to survive.

"What we tried to do was make it on a more local scale and offer the same service, offer everything you get with these national players but for a much more affordable rate and give something back to the community as well.

"We're picking takeaways that we believe in. We get people that we believe are doing a very good service. We call it a partnership for that very reason because we want to stand by them and support them just like we want to stand by the customers and support them."

Hodgkinson has been encouraged and impressed by the response of the local community to his business.

"I thought when we launched a brand new thing, there are many local independent people trying this sort of idea in all parts of the country. Most of them fail very quickly so it can be hard to get people on your side. What we've had is the opposite, it's quite incredible really. On our launch day we got 2000 subscribers straight away; the orders were about four times what we were expecting it to be. It's been a fantastic start really."

One of the important values of the company is a personalised approach not only when dealing with customers but also with the businesses they promote on the app.

"We're looking after the takeaways by saving them a lot of money compared to the big national brands. And we're saving the consumer money because by saving the takeaways money that then goes onto the consumer, because they can offer them savings.

"Also we're redirecting our profits back into the community as well so it's a win-win situation. What we're trying to encourage is this: look after the takeaways, the takeaways will look after you and we will look after the community."

Hucknall Eats can be found on all popular app store platforms. They also have a website which can be found here.