Young British entrepreneur Ross Bailey has closed a £1 million investment round to fund the growth and development of his retail services business.

His Appear Here start-up provides an online booking platform used by the likes of British Land, Legal & General and Capital & Regional to secure short-term rentals for retail spaces.

The business was set up off the back of a pop-up T-shirt shop set up by Bailey during the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebration on Carnaby Street.

Joining the £1 million round are HOWZAT Partners, which recently exited online travel website Trivago, Love Home Swap backer MMC Ventures and Hailo investors Forward Investment Partners. Meyer Bergman, Playfair Capital, Ballpark Ventures, Miroma Ventures and Spotify’s Marc Hazan are also involved.

Appear Here and Bailey will be using the capital secured to aid geographic expansion and build out its technology team.

Bailey, founder and CEO of Appear Here, says, ‘This funding round allows us to continue laying the foundations of our disruptive business, based upon helping landlords and tenants use retail space in an efficient and profitable manner.

‘We are delighted to welcome on board our new investors, who bring with them such impressive expertise in technology, property and media.’

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Back in December, Appear Here closed its first funding round when Forward Investment Partners, Ballpark Ventures and angel investors contributed to an undisclosed injection.

Appear Here says that the coming together of ‘established investment funds’ and individuals from the digital and property industries is a testament to the growth achieved so far. Customers secured so far include Google, Diageo and American Apparel, while the start-up has signed up 3000 brands and retailers – securing a database of 250 spaces.

Sascha Hausmann, partner at HOWZAT Partners, adds, ‘We are always on the lookout for potential game-changers and that is what we have found in Appear Here – a company that is disrupting the commercial real-estate market and providing new revenue sources and marketing opportunities to landlords, retailers, brands and entrepreneurs.

‘With thousands of brands and retailers already on its books, and an ever-increasing number of spaces available to hire, the potential for growth is massive.’