Thousands has been spent locally through the Gloucester Gift Card with restaurants, cafés and shops some of the most popular venues.
As the Gloucester Gift Card reaches a milestone of £20,000 cards sold, local businesses are encouraging people to buy and spend the cards to boost city trade.
Days out, shopping and eating out are some of the things that people have been spending their Gloucester Gift Card on to date. Popular Gloucester food and drink venues to spend the card include Café Rene, Tiger’s Eye, Gloucester Brewery and Greek On The Docks.
Co-founder of Greek On The Docks, Yiannis Karayiannis, said the gift card gives people the opportunity to try something new:
“Greek On The Docks is a family run restaurant serving traditional Greek dishes, wines and cocktails on the docks, overlooking the water. We opened in Gloucester in 2016 because we found this amazing location and it’s fantastic to know that Greek On The Docks is such a popular place for people to spend their Gloucester Gift Card.
“As a Gloucester business, we’re happy to be a part of the program because it helps all local businesses and is great for the recipient. It’s difficult financial times for many right now, and giving someone a gift card so they can try something new, go out and have a good time is a great thing. An opportunity to have an experience often means more than a regular present, especially post pandemic.
“People are more familiar with Greek food now and popular menu items at Greek On The Docks include Moussaka and other traditional Greek dishes like Kleftiko, plus our Greek salads. Tasting the food, and sitting outside with the sun shining, people feel transported to Greece, like they’re on holiday again. It definitely helps to chase away the post-holiday blues!”
The Gloucester Gift Card can be spent with over 80 businesses in the city, including at national retailers such as Primark and M&S, and independent retail businesses such as Chez Rose and Bizarre.
Owner of Bizarre, Kate Lankester, said the gift card brings people into the city:
“Bizarre is a retail shop selling alternative clothes and gifts, and also offers on site piercing and semi-permanent make up, including eyeliner and eyebrows. Trust is a huge thing with services like piercing and semi-permanent make up, and we team the service with advice and aftercare.
“We’re part of the Gloucester Gift Card because it’s an initiative for our community. Often, it’s hard to know what to get someone as a gift but the gift card works for a range of interests and ages. You’re not limited to one shop or one type of product or service and you can go for a meal, shop and have a whole day out in Gloucester.
“It’s also a good way to build awareness for a smaller business like ours, so we can be a part of a bigger gift card for the whole city. The gift card brings people into the city centre, and the more people we can bring into the city centre the better as it’s then that people see what we have here including the quirky and unusual businesses we’re blessed with in Gloucester.”
One of the more unique Gloucester businesses to benefit from the Gloucester Gift Card is virtual reality arcade VRXperience.
Owner of VRXperience Marc Edden said they have lots to offer at their venue: “The Gloucester Gift Card is a good idea because it keeps spending local. VR venues are usually confined to the larger cities, so it’s great that Gloucester has its own VR offering, and the gift card gives people a chance to see and experience what’s on offer locally, including the unique businesses like ours.
“VR is more than people give it credit for. VRXperience a modern day arcade where users step inside the game, from sports to escape rooms, Minecraft to fairground rides. The multiplayer functionality means it’s collaborative, with whole families, even multi-generations, visiting to experience VR together. It’s active and it’s something people can do in all weathers, rain or shine. VR is one of those things that you just have to try to understand how good it is, so if you’ve got a Gloucester Gift Card, come and spend it with us!”
Gloucester Business Improvement District (BID) is behind the Gloucester Gift Card. Claire Knight, Marketing & Business Engagement Lead at Gloucester BID said the card has a huge amount to offer:
“It’s fantastic to see the Gloucester Gift Card reach a milestone of £20,000 cards sold and the diversity of businesses where the cards are being spent, from national brands to local favourites and Gloucester’s hidden gems. Typically, gift cards are for just one brand, the great thing about the Gloucester Gift Card is the immense choice on offer.
“I encourage everyone who has a Gloucester Gift Card to get out exploring and spending your card, as that is when the benefit reaches local businesses and when you can reap the rewards of this economy boosting gift card. And if you’re still using single retailer gift cards for your presents, staff rewards and incentives or any other occasion, choosing the Gloucester Gift Card instead gives the recipient even more choice.”
Gloucester’s Gift Card is part of the Town & City Gift Card initiative active across the UK and Ireland.
Colin Munro, managing director of Miconex said: “What makes the Gloucester Gift Card unique is its offering, it offers the security of the big name brands that people know with the local businesses that people love. With a gift card in their hand, people are more likely to discover new businesses, spending over and above the value on the card. It’s free for businesses to accept the card, with no extra equipment required.”
