Gordon’s Wine Bar owner Simon Gordon seeks Facewatch app funding
The man behind London’s famous watering hole Gordon’s Wine Bar has given himself a new task as he seeks funding for his latest project Facewatch – a crime reporting app.
Wine bar proprietor Simon Gordon, who runs the 125-year-old institution, originally hit upon the idea for the app – which enables the public and the authorities to share information on crimes – after a spate of pickpocketing incidents near the bar in Charing Cross. Aiming to raise £1.5m through crowdfunding site Crowdcube, Facewatch chief executive Richard Thompson said the nascent company is aiming to develop new models and ramp up sales.
The company raises revenue on a subscription basis, allowing firms which sign up instant access to security related incidents and accompanying CCTV imagery around their premises.
Firms can also share watch lists with other businesses; and report incidents direct to the police as “digital evidence packages’.”
Thompson said the app, which is free for police, could save the force money and many man hours a case as reports, CCTV and data are made available instantaneously.
Gordon said: “We have chosen to raise part of our current funding through Crowdcube because we felt that it would resonate with the general public – after all, who isn’t fed up with low level crime?.”