The Isle of Wight Council is encouraging Islanders to show their support for their favourite local businesses this Christmas – by purchasing a Wight Gift Card.
Over 130 Island businesses accept the Wight Gift Card and it’s proven popular with customers and businesses alike, who have praised the programme for being easy to use, providing a vast choice of retailers to support and promoting small businesses after a difficult retail period.
Jevon Kennedy, Managing Director of W Hurst & Son said:
“We have been accepting Wight Gift Cards across our 6 retail locations and our website for almost 2 years. Whilst as a business we are proud to support the local island economy, the Wight Gift Card has also added substantially to sales and has been a valuable support to us as a local retailer.
“At point of sale, the transaction process is quick and easy, whether it be used in a shop or on our website.”
Councillor Julie Jones-Evans, cabinet member for Levelling Up, Regeneration, Business Development and Tourism said:
“When I brought the idea of a gift card to the Economic Development Board, we were in lockdown and facing so many uncertainties – we still are, of course – but one thing that we know is that keeping as much spend in the local economy, strengthens the local economy.
“The Island Gift Card is the nearest thing to having our own currency. It can be spent in the same way as a debit card in over 130 local businesses; that’s a lot of choice from hospitality and retail across the Island, making it a smart choice for a gift this Christmas.”
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From the 1st of December, you can also show your support by voting for your favourite local business in Town and County Card’s Christmas competition, with the winning business awarded £500 worth of cards to gift their hardworking staff and the person who nominated them winning a £500 code for the Town and County Card website.
Nominate your favourite local business via the website until the 21st of December.
Is this a joke? Has the council considered not bleeding local businesses dry?
Spot on Rich, the council screw small businesses for council tax and rates, that is why they are all closing down. They get screwed more money than they are making While we on the subject, we are all about to be screwed more for council tax making us struggle too. All the council tax is, is a tax charge for having a roof over our heads. A roof tax in other words because everyone with a roof over their head is made to pay it
Hurst is by far the Best shop on the Island.
Very helpful, great selection of items at Great prices and you don’t have to buy
a large bag of screws or nails etc, they let you purchase the amount you require.
The island is very lucky to have such a Wonderful store
5 star ☆☆☆☆☆ from me.
Excellent idea, and brilliant for those gifts where you have no idea what the person wants or needs. Better to give them a card to spend towards something they do, and Hurst’s covers a lot of different supply needs.
I suggest the council then remove all charges from car parks if they really want to help local businesses.
How about the council support local businesses by offering 2 hours free parking any day any time
So basically this is a drum up for buisness in hursts! An ok shop but lets face it there are very few other shops worth using…inflated prices and sell utter crap
Council can do one getting in on it yet again.LOWER BUSINESS RATES AND RENT for them you greedy buggers and help them out
I may be wrong but I think Government set the business rates, or at least the rate per square mtr. That is why out of town succeed they pay less.
Locals urge the council to show support for local businesses and lower business rates!
Locals want parking fees reduced to encourage people to return to the High Street, move on from the council cash cow overcharging people to park .. the foot fall will then return, a better choice of shops would be ideal, but that’s years ahead of this short sighted council.
very short sighted – sometimes even blind.
Hurst guy third from left. Very ignorant.remember him
Pushing my 4 year old daughter out to way to get in front of her when the Olympic torch was carried through Newport. Hometime
If that is the Scot, I agree with you.
Is that so they can charge more extortionate rates etc for businesses ¿??????,….
Respect ( not) …..
Need to cut costs so businesses can survive ….
Perhaps they could ask island Roads and Whitefibre to stop constantly blocking all the roads. Then more people may visit the towns and use the expensive car parking to visit shops that remain.
When are they going to start then ? Lead by example!