Castletownbere loyalty card aims to entice shoppers to stay local

by HELEN RIDDELL

A NEW shopping scheme to be launched in Castletownbere will encourage everyone to buy local, eat local and support local businesses.

The scheme, which has been set up by the Castletownbere Development Association (CDA), will be launched in the Square at a day-long event on Saturday April 15th. 

Local shoppers will be offered loyalty cards, and each participating business will be issued with a unique stamp. 

If a customer spends €10 or more, they receive a stamp.  Once ten stamps have been collected, it will be entered into a prize draw, which will be held on a number of occasions throughout the year. 

 The first prize draw will take place at the opening ceremony of the Festival of the Sea in August with a top prize of €500, and a number of other prizes on offer. Cian Murphy, chair of the CDA, is hoping that the scheme will entice people to shop in the area. ‘We hope to encourage people to shop local and spend local and support the businesses who support us in the Castletownbere Development Association. To fully support local businesses, the prizes on offer in the draw will be paid in CDA vouchers to be spent in businesses participating in the scheme.’

Over 60 local businesses have already signed up to the scheme, stretching from Berehaven Lodges to the east of Castletownbere, to O’Regan’s Garage to the west. 

Loyalty cards will be available at the launch event on Easter Saturday, and from then on will be available from participating businesses.  Cian stresses that the loyalty scheme is entirely funded by the CDA and will present no extra cost to businesses. 

To be eligible for the draw, cards must have ten unique stamps and full cards should be returned to the Castletownbere Library by July 31st.  Stamps cannot be redeemed from the sale of tobacco, alcohol or lottery, and while under 18s are permitted to take part, all prizes must be collected by a parent or guardian.

For more, see www.castletownbere.ie.