Let this be the year when your resilience is rewarded

Honestly, people are amazing. 2020 has been so harsh on so many levels but we have heard countless stories of incredible resilience. Children who have home-schooled themselves, whilst helping to care for younger siblings. Millions who have learned to work in new ways, running online events, recording music in their bathrooms, typing reports with toddlers on their knees, serving customers through perspex.

So many independent business owners have told us that when the country went into lockdown, they spent a week or two thinking that their business would collapse and they would not be able to feed their families. And then they went to work to find a way through — carving costs, offering deliveries, diversifying and selling local produce and whilst some will not have made it through, the vast majority will!

On February 3rd 2020, we released Bimble.

All bright eyed and bushy tailed, we were ready to help people get out there and explore great little places around the world, whether on their doorsteps, or far from home.

Airbnb hosts and hoteliers would share Bimble Area Guides with excited droves of visitors. Happy couples would send Bimble Guest Guides to friends and family, suggesting where to stay and what to visit near their wedding. Freshers would excitedly explore their university cities, sharing their finds on Bimble. People would travel the world and use Bimble to find and share interesting, quirky, independent places. People would collect, save and share the neighbourhood brasseries, bakeries, bars, boutiques and bookshops that they would be going to in their everyday lives.

When covid came, like so many of you, we held our breath and tried not to panic. Like so many others, we stripped back our costs and thought about what to do next. Bimble was in its infancy and had to grow. So we kept working, releasing new features and improving the ones we had.

And a magical thing happened… you all joined us. 30 thousand of you, sharing over 2 thousand great little places every week!

And though, very sadly, you were not staying in quirky hotels, getting married, exploring uni bars, travelling the world, having a laugh with friends at the pub, you were missing it and you were shouting out the places that mattered to you, as a sign of support, as an expression of love. You were planning for better times. You were reminiscing about places you wanted to hold on to.

We are a community of people who love great little places and who know that they are the life and soul of any neighbourhood, whether that is in Hackney or Helsinki. They are a source of joy in our daily lives. And wanderlust is a thing. We love to explore and find new experiences to share with others.

Thank you, Bimblers, for showing up. Together, we will build something great. This is just the beginning.

visit bimble.com