The first businesses have signed up to a gift card scheme designed to encourage local shopping.
The Stoke-on-Trent City Centre Gift Card will be a single gift card for Hanley with both national and independent brands in retail, hospitality, attractions, health and beauty and service-based businesses eligible to accept it when it launches later this month.
Among the first to sign up is Vellichor Books, which opened in Piccadilly Arcade at the start of this year.
Others include big brands such as Waterstones and Forbidden Planet and independents including Music Mania, Gin Rummy Bar and Kitchen, Hedonism and LDW Hair.
Businesses at The Potteries Centre – the largest shopping centre in Staffordshire and South Cheshire – are also getting involved.
Paul Williams, lead director for place marketing at Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID, which is launching the scheme, said: “The gift card is a wonderful opportunity to encourage consumers to think local first. By converting latent ‘shop local’ demand into increased spend and loyalty, the BID gift card will help to support participating retail, hospitality, leisure and other city centre businesses, increase footfall and repeat visits, protect jobs and boost the local economy.”
Stoke-on-Trent City Centre Gift Card.
Amy Whittaker, Centre Manager of The Potteries Centre, said: “The new gift card initiative continues to demonstrate the BID’s strong collaborative working partnerships across the city and will give visitors to The Potteries Centre and the wider city centre so many options of where they can spend it. We’re looking forward to seeing the positive effects it will bring to all of our retailers.”
More businesses are now being encouraged to get involved – or consider using it as corporate gifts or employee rewards.
The Stoke-on-Trent City Centre Gift Card, which features iconic images from the city, will work through the Mastercard system so businesses need no additional equipment to accept it.
It will be part of the award-winning Town & City Gift Card initiative from fintech Miconex, active in cities such as Aberdeen, Belfast and Cambridge.
Colin Munro, Managing Director of Miconex, said: “With its large population, including a large student population, strong tourism offering and multitude of corporate organisations, Stoke is perfectly positioned for its own gift card program.
“Similar sized cities are enjoying huge success with their gift card and that’s something that can be emulated in Stoke, locking spend into Stoke that might otherwise be spent online or elsewhere.
“The sign-up process is quick, and businesses accept the card like any other card payment, so it’s very easy for businesses and simple for customers too. An influx of local spend is on its way for Stoke.”
