Businesses across Dumfries and Galloway are signing up to offer and accept the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card.
It is a Scottish Government-backed scheme to keep spending local for longer and help fuel the fightback from Covid-19 in town centres across the region.
Dumfries and Galloway Council is also backing the scheme and urging shops, cafes, leisure venues and visitor attractions to get on board.
Depute leader Cllr Rob Davidson said: “We welcome the launch of the Scotland Loves Local Dumfries and Galloway gift card. It is great that every penny spent on the gift card stays in Dumfries and Galloway. This is good news for our local economy as we recover from the impact of lockdowns.”
The gift cards will be unique to Dumfries and Galloway and will be available for consumer purchase later this year.
And The Guild Dumfries is one of those which has already signed up to accept the card at its monthly market.
Co-director Leah Halliday said: “The message to support local businesses is really important. There’s nothing better than keeping money in the local economy. We hope that the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is another way of doing this.
“When we hold our markets and pop-up shops, we see the genuine desire that there is from people to shop locally. Shopping locally is far more in people’s consciousness now than it was before the pandemic. It’s something people feel passionate about.”
The gift card roll out is being led by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), working with Perth-based fintech specialist Miconex and the first year of costs are being met by the Scottish Government.
STP chief officer Phil Prentice said: “We are delighted that Dumfries and Galloway Council has been so quick to sign up and encourage businesses to be part of the new Scotland Loves Local Gift Card.
“Using the Dumfries and Galloway Loves Local Gift Card will be another way in which people can decide to support the people, shops, services and attractions around them.”
For more information about the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card – including how to sign up – go to www.lovelocal.scot/giftcard.
