Lincolnshire Gift Card: The perfect local present for Christmas
With Christmas just over a month away it will be a busy time for local businesses, so it is the perfect opportunity to sign up for the Lincolnshire Gift Card and keep people’s festive spending in the county.
The Lincolnshire Gift Card was first launched in December 2022 and is available for all Destination Lincolnshire partners. Crucially, it provides an additional revenue of income for local businesses.
Destination Lincolnshire partners with Miconex and Town & City Gift Cards to deliver the scheme - click here to sign up your business to the scheme. It only takes a few minutes, is free to join and as long as your business can accept a Mastercard you can sign up.
Many businesses across the county now accept the Lincolnshire Gift Card – see the full list here.
It is a great way to support the local independent businesses we all know and love - you can order a gift card online, in a digital format or a physical one to keep in your wallet or purse. The recipient will have 12 months to spend the funds.
Hayley Wallis is the co-owner at award-winning gastropub The Cross Keys Stow, who were among the first to sign up to the initiative last year.
In the last month, The Cross Keys has been visited by three people using Lincolnshire Gift Cards and Hayley said: “It’s a good idea because if people don’t know what to buy someone, Lincolnshire Gift Card gives them the freedom and option to spend it within the local area. It’s good to keep it local.
“People are starting to use them more and more. We just need more people to be aware of it and to get the word out more to entice people to try new businesses. We need more businesses to be part of it and more people to be buying the cards.”
The Cross Keys receive great benefits for being one of Destination Lincolnshire’s over 250 partners.
Hayley added: “Destination Lincolnshire are very good at reaching out to local businesses and try to help and encourage them, and give information to help us.
“They are good at networking and keeping us in the loop with what’s going on in Lincolnshire and where money is being spent. They are great at looking after businesses.”
Last month, Destination Lincolnshire’s Senior Relationship Executive Holly Christian hosted a meeting to discuss the initiative with several of our partners, including The Poplars, Uncle Henry’s, Prikli Pear, Fulbeck Craft Centre, Hemswell Antique Centres and The Grange.
Holly said: “The gift card is a great benefit of being a Destination Lincolnshire partner and in my mind it’s a win, win and you get additional revenue.
“All the businesses were really engaged at the recent meeting and excited to join the scheme and could see the benefits of it.
“The best thing about the gift card is that it keeps money in Greater Lincolnshire, and it supports our local business community. “
Over 40 of our partners from across the county have joined the initiative, including in hospitality, accommodation and retail.
Visitors and residents can buy a physical or digital card. The money is loaded directly onto it and can be redeemed by any participating businesses across Lincolnshire.
The cards are pre-loaded, close-looped Mastercards. They operate on the Mastercard system, so any business who can accept Mastercard payments can accept it to the gift card too.
In 2023, the Lincolnshire Gift Card kept £6,000 in Greater Lincolnshire. Over 120 Gift Cards were sold with an average of £45 on each card.
Between January and September 2024, £3,285 in sales were kept in the county. As of the end of September this year 81 cards had been sold in 2024.
Not only does it keep money local, but it increases footfall for Lincolnshire businesses who are signed up to the initiative. Last year, 15% of gift card recipients were new customers.
Over 40% of gift card recipients made a one-off purchase at a new brand in 2023 via a gift card, and more than 20% said they had become a regular customer.
With so many great benefits, there is no better time for your Lincolnshire business to sign up to the initiative in time for the busy festive period. Your business will also be showcased on the gift card website and receive ongoing marketing support by Town & City Gift Cards, as well as from Destination Lincolnshire.
For any questions about the scheme or to find out what support we can offer your business, please email holly.christian@destinationlincolnshire.co.uk.