Snapping to it: The lockdown sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic has been hugely challenging for business, but it has created pockets of success for certain enterprises. These include Snappy Shopper, the app and web-based home delivery platform, which this week reported a 534 per cent increase in platform sales in the five weeks since lockdown was announced, compared with the previous five.

During that time, customer numbers have increased by 360%, while the average basket has surged by 51%, to £32.49 from £21.52.

Chief executive Mark Steven said: “Demand for our service from both retailers and customers continues to go through the roof.

“We believe we have the best technology and most functionally rich platform in the market and as a result, our top retailers are regularly generating home delivery platform sales in excess of £10,000 per week.”

Tech army: Software developers in Scotland have joined the ranks of furloughed employees who are putting their skills to good use during the pandemic.

More than 150 volunteers have joined the Scottish Tech Army, formed this week to support public sector bodies which are developing digital projects to help combat the virus.

Edinburgh-based entrepreneurs Alistair Forbes and Peter Jaco co-founded the project two weeks ago with the aim of building a Covid-19 rapid reaction force.

Mr Forbes said: “Scotland’s tech community is ready to join this fight.”

Bitter Sweet: The winners of The Scottish Hotel Awards 2020 would have wished for better circumstances in which to toast their success this week.

Social distancing measures imposed because of Covid-19, which has forced the closure of hotels all over the country, meant the results had were unveiled at a virtual ceremony on Sunday evening.

Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group, which has offered its empty bedrooms free to NHS and frontline workers, was named Hotel Group of the Year.