Blackpool entrepreneur's mobile phone payment business launches after winning global backing

Leslie, named after his Blackpool businessman grandfather, is the brainchild of Joey Barnett, 29 and his business partner Dovi David.

The technology, accessible to the customer via a QR code, with no app download required, aims to deliver a seamless customer experience and checkout process, enabling customers to pay via their smartphone instantly.

Joey said it also allows any food and beverage service provider to set up their menus in a matter of minutes, increase their revenue and reduce costs.

Leslie has officially launched following a multi-million pound seed round with investment funding from KKR co-founder Henry Kravis, Middleby Corporation, supplier of more than 90 per cent of the largest food service chains across the US, and Australian BNPL founder Larry Diamond, of ZIP.

Leslie will use this seed funding to continue its growth in the UK and fuel rapid expansion across the globe.

Founded by entrepreneurs Joey Barnett and Dovi David during the pandemic, Leslie has already recruited a big staff complement, including senior hires from the likes of Deliveroo, Just Eat, Apple, Mastercard and Amazon.

Joey said his biggest inspiration growing up was his grandad, Leslie Barnett, one of the first people to import artificial flowers from the Far East, so took the name, and Blackpool’s famous tangerine colour for the company logo.

He said: “One of the industries that hasn’t undergone any drastic transformation is hospitality and there are so many missed opportunities that tech is poised to capitalise on.

“Not just here in the UK where we’ve already secured 100s of venues since launch, but the US and wider markets as well. The combination of our tech, our growing team and now this strategic investment, ensures that we can take on the global hospitality market.”

Chris Jones, European president of Middleby Corporation, said it would help the hospitality industry recover from the pandemic: “With our exclusive partnership between Leslie and Middleby we are at the forefront of innovation and will offer our client base a solution like no-other to enhance the customer experience and increase revenues.”