This piece comes from my written reply to Bylines Scotland, namely Andrew Sharpe’s article published on 12 February 2025 titled ‘Scotland’s Green Freeports – Good or Bad?
Steve Rotherham, the Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, was associated with the development of a food ordering app known as "Rotherham Eats." Here's what we know about this initiative based on available information:
Rotherham Eats: This app was intended to provide an exclusive platform for ordering food from takeaways in and around Rotherham. It was promoted as having full features similar to its website counterpart, offering access to local food options.
Failure: Posts found on X highlight criticisms regarding the app's performance. There are mentions of significant financial investment (specifically, £700,000 of taxpayers' money) into the app, which allegedly managed to process only 58 orders before it was considered a failure. This has led to public scrutiny over the management of public funds and the effectiveness of such initiatives under Rotherham's leadership.
Public and Media Reaction: The failure of the app has been used to critique leads to the opposite of success.
Broader Context: Steve Rotherham's tenure as mayor includes various initiatives aimed at economic development and public service improvement. While this particular project didn't succeed, it's important to consider the broader scope of his work, including successful projects or ongoing efforts in other areas like public transport or housing.
Privacy and Data Handling: Information about the app on Google Play and Apple's App Store emphasizes user data privacy, indicating that safety starts with understanding how developers collect and share data. However, there's no direct link to the app's failure and data privacy issues.
Given this context, the "Rotherham Eats" app's failure has been a point of contention and discussion regarding public expenditure and project management under Steve Rotherham's administration. However, this should be viewed within the larger context of his governance and other initiatives that might have had different outcomes.
Steve Rotherham, the Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, was associated with the development of a food ordering app known as "Rotherham Eats." Here's what we know about this initiative based on available information:
Rotherham Eats: This app was intended to provide an exclusive platform for ordering food from takeaways in and around Rotherham. It was promoted as having full features similar to its website counterpart, offering access to local food options.
Failure: Posts found on X highlight criticisms regarding the app's performance. There are mentions of significant financial investment (specifically, £700,000 of taxpayers' money) into the app, which allegedly managed to process only 58 orders before it was considered a failure. This has led to public scrutiny over the management of public funds and the effectiveness of such initiatives under Rotherham's leadership.
Public and Media Reaction: The failure of the app has been used to critique leads to the opposite of success.
Broader Context: Steve Rotherham's tenure as mayor includes various initiatives aimed at economic development and public service improvement. While this particular project didn't succeed, it's important to consider the broader scope of his work, including successful projects or ongoing efforts in other areas like public transport or housing.
Privacy and Data Handling: Information about the app on Google Play and Apple's App Store emphasizes user data privacy, indicating that safety starts with understanding how developers collect and share data. However, there's no direct link to the app's failure and data privacy issues.
Given this context, the "Rotherham Eats" app's failure has been a point of contention and discussion regarding public expenditure and project management under Steve Rotherham's administration. However, this should be viewed within the larger context of his governance and other initiatives that might have had different outcomes.
Post
project management critique
other failed public apps
more concise summary