Methodology

Source foundation

The base map is assembled from public and commercial discovery sources: Google, OpenStreetMap, Foursquare, and Reddit. These sources help find candidates; they do not decide inclusion.

• Google gives coverage, opening-hour clues, categories, and review volume.
• OpenStreetMap helps cross-check place names, addresses, and geography.
• Foursquare adds venue metadata and category signals.
• Reddit surfaces local mentions, complaints, and recommendations.

Editorial filter

• Independent. No national or international chains. Local mini-chains may qualify if they still feel locally owned and operated.
• Relevant. V1 covers independent Watford food and coffee.
• Open. The place must be trading and publicly accessible.
• Useful. The listing must help someone make a better local decision, not just repeat a map pin.
• Enough signal. Thin, stale, or contradictory evidence waits until it can be checked properly.

Vetting status

Reviewer: Gyorgy Bolyki. Listings carry a status so the reader can see how strong the evidence is.

• Visited. In-person visit within the last 12 months, paid normally.
• Verified. Key facts checked directly or against reliable sources.
• Community-vouched. A named local source has direct knowledge; a visit or direct check follows when practical.

Review synthesis

• Public reviews are summarised to extract patterns: food, service, atmosphere, price, accessibility, dietary options, and recurring weak points.
• AI helps compress the review corpus, but the output is human-read before publication.
• Summaries do not quote reviews at length and are not endorsements.
• Source count, refresh date, and confidence are shown where available.

Exclusions

• Chains and franchise listings.
• Paid placement, sponsored ranking, or advertorial inclusion.
• Closed venues, inaccessible venues, or candidates with weak evidence.
• Places outside current geographic scope unless held for later review.

Maintenance

• Listings are checked on a rolling cycle, with earlier updates when strong change signals appear.
• Business owners can request correction or removal at [email protected].
• Correction requests should include the listing URL, venue name, and the specific change.