App aims to take guesswork out of Festival planning

With more than 50,000 performances spread across almost 300 venues, deciding which shows to see during the Edinburgh festivals season can prove something of a challenge.
Deciding what to see in Edinburgh can be a daunting prospect. Picture: Ian GeorgesonDeciding what to see in Edinburgh can be a daunting prospect. Picture: Ian Georgeson
Deciding what to see in Edinburgh can be a daunting prospect. Picture: Ian Georgeson

But social media planning app Decidz, launched earlier this year with backing from the founders of travel search giant Skyscanner, is aiming to make life easier for festival-goers.

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The free app has rolled out new technology that makes it possible to see which shows are coming up at nearby venues at the tap of a button.

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“Map search is done quite well by other apps focusing on the Fringe, but we wanted to make something geared towards showing what specific venues have to offer, said Decidz chief operating officer and co-founder Craig Parker.

“We think that’s important as sometimes it’s a venue that can inspire you as much as a show.”

Bonamy Grimes, Barry Smith and Gareth Williams, the trio behind Skyscanner, have invested in Decidz, which is based at Edinburgh’s CodeBase tech incubator. The app is targeting a local audience in Scotland and the UK before extending its user base internationally, with the Edinburgh festivals being used as a testing ground for its technology.