DELIVEROO LAUNCHES ‘CHIPWATCH’ TO PROTECT BRITAIN’S BEACHGOERS FROM SEAGULLS THIS SUMMER

• 13 July 2022
• Deliveroo
• Read time: 5 min

• With hot weather and school summer holidays on the horizon, Deliveroo launches a new 'Chipwatch' initiative to help protect al fresco diners from hungry seagulls, after 53% of Brits have experienced seagulls stealing their food
• The free 'Chipwatch' dedicated beach zones are patrolled by Chipwatch crew members armed with seagull deterrent devices such as reflective umbrellas and decoy hawks
• Deliveroo has curated a new audio track 'Bye Gull Bye' [Link to YouTube] in collaboration with bird expert and ornithologist Dr Madeleine Goumas, to provide banging backing music that also deters gulls - available on Youtube now and coming soon to Spotify
• Brits can enjoy safe and seagull-free 'Chipwatch' zones at two of the UK's most popular holiday hotspots this summer; Brighton Beach and Scarborough Beach

July 2022, UK: As a new survey reveals that 53% of Brits have experienced the act of robbery by seagulls while trying to enjoy an al fresco meal*, Deliveroo is swooping in to protect one of the summer's essential rituals with the launch of 'Chipwatch' - a mobile seagull deterrent crew armed with reflective umbrellas, decoy hawks and a new seagull distracting track called 'Bye Gull Bye' by Deliveroo.

Deliveroo's 'Chipwatch' experience is here to save the holidays and invites beachgoers to enjoy their downtime without the interruption of greedy seagulls, especially since 95% of Brits are expected to flock to beaches this summer to enjoy a spot of al fresco dining*.

Popping up on Brighton beach (Friday 22nd July) and Scarborough beach (Sunday 24th July), this month, beachgoers and holidaymakers can enter the 'Chipwatch' zones on a first-come-first-served basis and enjoy their fish and chips in peace, without the threat of their meal being robbed.

With the new research from Deliveroo revealing that nearly half (44%) of Brits have been concerned in the past about eating outside due to a fear of seagulls swooping in to steal their precious food**, the 'Chipwatch' zones have been created to give the nation the summer that it deserves, without the fear of daylight fish and chips robbery.

Although The Hoff isn't available to join the Chipwatch crew (sigh), the team will still embody the essence of the smash-hit TV show from the 90s, donning teal shorts and reflective jackets to boot. Beachgoers will find the team patrolling the designated zones armed with propellers, reflective umbrellas and decoy hawks, all known to safely keep seagulls at bay.

Deliveroo has also worked with a gull expert and sound engineers to create a brand new audio track called 'Bye Gull Bye', which will provide the background music to the 'Chipwatch' zones to further ensure a seagull-free experience. The track is also available to stream nationwide now on Youtube followed by a release Spotify*** [Link to YouTube]. It has been curated in collaboration with Dr Madeleine Goumas, a researcher of urban herring gulls from the University of Exeter, who advised on the curation of the track in a safe way for seagulls, whilst protecting diners at the same time.

Aisha Jefferson at Deliveroo, said: "One of the biggest summer rituals is al fresco dining, especially on the beach, but seagulls can wreak havoc on your peaceful picnic. If you're worried about food-snatching seagulls, our Chipwatch crew will be on hand to protect you from having to share your food with our flying friends. If the beach isn't your thing but you still find yourself covering your snacks, we've curated a music track that will safely distract and deter seagulls from pinching your food. It's also a bit of a banger, which you can play via the Deliveroo Youtube or Spotify channel. Hopefully it'll be music to your ears, but not so much the seagulls'..."

Madeline Goumas, from the University of Exeter said:"This is a great initiative to help the public enjoy their Summer holidays without the threat of unwanted birds, all whilst not being harmful to them. I partnered with Deliveroo to ensure the track was no harm to the seagulls and to use gull calls to ensure it is effective. Research supports the use of gull alarm calls for deterring gulls. This is the sound gulls make when they spot a predator, and it tells other gulls to keep away. We hope this track will allow people to eat their food in peace."

Deliveroos' Chipwatch Crew will be on patrol on these days in July:

• Friday 22nd July (10am-6pm) - Brighton Beach, Brighton, BN2 1PS
• Sunday 24th July (10am-6pm) - Scarborough Beach, Scarborough, YO11 2ET

No matter if Brits are eating on a beach, in a park, or in their garden this summer, Deliveroo's new seagull deterrent music track will help to keep the gulls away. Search on YouTube and Spotify*** for 'Bye Gull Bye' to listen to the new track and eat food without having to hide it…

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