Skip to main content

Northern Ireland retail voucher scheme could begin end of summer

// Northern Ireland’s high street voucher scheme to open at the end of the summer if conditions are right, Stormont says
// It was initially announced last November following the second lockdown, but was delayed as third lockdown started
// Media campaigns will be launched to encourage the public to register for pre-paid vouchers worth £100

Northern Ireland’s high street voucher scheme will open at the end of the summer if conditions are right, the Stormont Economy Minister has said.

Diane Dodds initially announced plans to give a pre-paid card to every adult in Northern Ireland last November to boost the retail sector following the second Covid-19 lockdown.

However, the High Street Stimulus (HSS) scheme rollout was postponed following a sharp spike in cases in December, which resulted in a fresh and third lockdown that last four months.

READ MORE:

Just as non-essential retail stores were permitted to open for the first time since December today, Dodds announced that if conditions were right, the HSS scheme would open at the end of the summer.

She said every person aged 18 and over would be eligible to apply for a pre-paid card worth £100 to spend in their local high street.

“I am excited to see shoppers back in our high streets, customers once again enjoying outdoor hospitality and the return of holidaymakers to self-contained accommodation,” she said.

“I am optimistic because reopening of our economy is the most important first step towards economic recovery.

“However, our HSS scheme will provide a timely boost to this recovery.

“It will provide eligible applicants with a pre-paid card worth £100. This means up to 1.4 million people will spend an extra £140 million on our high streets rather than online.

“This has a multiplier effect which will help bring many more customers back through the doors of local retail, hospitality and other sectors.

“We have commissioned research into when the HSS would be most beneficial to our economic recovery. We expect there will be pent up demand following the easing of restrictions.

“Therefore we believe that the end of the summer is the appropriate time to deliver this spending boost.”

Dodds also revealed that a planned Holiday at Home voucher scheme would open in the autumn aimed to drive demand after the summer season.

It is designed to allow Northern Ireland households to claim back 50 per cent off a stay of two nights or more in certified accommodation, up to the value of £100.

“My Economic Recovery Action Plan sets out the actions that will enable us to build a more competitive and inclusive economy as we move forward from today,” she said.

“The HSS Scheme and the Holiday at Home Schemes are cornerstones of this plan.

“Today is a bright day as Northern Ireland takes another step towards normality, and it is vital that this momentum is maintained.

“Of course, every one of us can play our part by following the guidance to ensure a safe as well as an enjoyable experience.”

Media campaigns for both schemes will be launched to encourage the public to register for pre-paid cards and vouchers online.

with PA Wires

Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette’s free daily email newsletter

The post Northern Ireland retail voucher scheme could begin end of summer appeared first on Retail Gazette.



from Retail Gazette https://ift.tt/3vJL6RZ
via IFTTT
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Eagle Labs launches impirica CBD brand

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Eagle Labs has launched impirica, a new brand of CBD intended to eliminate consumer fear, and increase confidence, in trying the exciting new cannabidiol category. Michael Law Although most Americans have now heard about CBD, many are very confused and concerned about product quality. This is inhibiting trial in the category and holding back conversion into sales. In fact, a 2017 study by Johns Hopkins University found that two out of three CBD products on the shelf did not contain the amount of CBD reflected on the label. Furthermore, in 2018 and 2019, the FDA sent notices to a substantial number of CBD manufacturers advising them of serious concerns about product quality or egregious medical claims. The impirica brand looks different than most CBD brands — the brand name itself connotes testing and trust, says Eagle Labs chief commercial officer Michael Law. “It doesn’t use the traditional category colors of browns and greens, and you won’t find a hemp...
68 comments
Read more

Coronavirus Recovery: Canadian Small Businesses Must Focus on Easing Employee, Customer Fears

By M. Tina Dacin and Laura Rees A small business has been  given the green light to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic . What does it need to consider for employees and customers? Small business owners are reorganizing physical space to account for continued distancing requirements and rethinking supply chains to deliver products and services in new ways to meet changing demand patterns. But they must not forget the hearts and minds of employees and customers. That doesn’t mean replacing a focus on the bottom line, but it helps address the need for a new set of expectations and ways of communicating in terms of product or service offerings, delivery methods and real-time feedback. Based on our expertise in organizational behaviour and past research we’ve conducted, we provide a set of recommendations to help small businesses thrive in our new COVID-19 economy by looking after the hearts and minds of the people most important to businesses — employees and customers. Fear, Anxi...
1 comment
Read more

World's 1st Pizza Subscription Service Launches in Toronto

general assembly subscription user opening delivery box of pizza. photo: general assembly pizza By Mario Toneguzzi Toronto-based General Assembly Pizza has launched what it describes as the world’s first pizza subscription service as it also plans to aggressively expand its product offering in the near future by opening a new concept in the market. "Since opening our doors in 2017, we have pushed for the best guest-experience possible — that's why our dough is 100 percent naturally leavened, that's why we have a purpose-built 400-square-foot pick-up and delivery area, and that's why we’ve launched a direct-to-consumer subscription-based ecommerce platform,” said Founder & CEO Ali Khan Lalani. “In 2020, providing the best guest experience means General Assembly Pizza has to be more than a restaurant. I'm proud to say that after almost six months of planning, many roadblocks, and countless pivots — all while maintaining our day-to-day restaurant operatio...
1 comment
Read more