BizChat

Framing the Problem

Independent pubs and small breweries are being squeezed out by large chains and distributors, losing control over their identity, pricing, and supply chains. This shift threatens local economies, weakens pub culture, and leads to homogenized, corporate drinking experiences.

Our platform acts as a co-operative middle layer, directly connecting local pubs with independent breweries. It helps preserve pub identity, supports local brewing, and keeps money in the community — strengthening both local business and the cultural fabric of the UK pub scene.

Idea Explanation

The app is a co-operative platform that connects independent businesses locally, cutting out big distributors. Whether you're a supplier or a retailer, it simplifies ordering, listing, and communication — helping both sides stay independent and profitable.

The model can easily expand to other local sectors, like cafés and farm shops, by creating fair, direct supply chains that strengthen the local economy.

Implementation

• [ User (Browser) ]

  ↓

  ┌────────────────────┐

  │ HTML/CSS Page │ ←── Rendered by Django Views

  └────────────────────┘

  ↓

  ┌────────────────────┐

  │ JavaScript (fetch)│ ──→ API Request

  └────────────────────┘

  ↓

  ┌────────────────────────┐

  │ Django API View │ ←── Handles API logic (GET, POST, etc.)

  └────────────────────────┘

  ↓

  ┌────────────────────────┐

  │ Django Models (ORM) │ ←── Queries the database

  └────────────────────────┘

  ↓

  ┌────────────────────────┐

  │ Database (SQL) │ ←── Returns Queries to views

  └────────────────────────┘

Challenges

The biggest challenge we faced was working as a large group for the first time as not many of us have had much experience working with github as a group. This caused many hurdles that needed to be overcome such as git conflicts which delayed our progress as files would not commit.

Using the django framework was new to most of us which was a learning curve. Understanding how to implement Views, API's, dynamic frontend HTML pages has been challanging. Despite the steep learning curve, it gave us a solid introduction to full-stack development and how modern web applications are built.

Accomplishments

We have been able to work together to fully complete the backend development to allow the functionality of our solution to work. We have a populated database which house's test data which can be used to test our solution as well as simulate key functions to improve the users experience with the website.

Next Steps

Looking ahead, we plan to deploy the application using a web hosting service such as AWS to make it publicly accessible and ready for real-world use. Improving the user interface is also a key focus — we aim to create a cleaner, more responsive design to enhance usability across devices from computers to phones.

A major future goal is to expand the platform into a broader community marketplace that serves not only pubs and breweries but also other local sectors like cafés, farm shops, and artisan retailers. This will allow for flexible, cooperative supply chains tailored to different industries.

To enable seamless transactions, we plan to integrate secure payment options, allowing suppliers and retailers to trade directly through the platform. As a monetization strategy, the platform can generate revenue by charging a small transaction fee per sale, which keeps the service low-cost for users while sustaining the platform’s growth and maintenance.