Bradford reaches £60,000 milestone with city gift card

Businesses are hailing a ‘shop local’ initiative a success for showcasing Bradford’s offering, locking money in locally, and bringing new people to the city. A popular gift card initiative to encourage local shopping has reached a milestone of £60,000 gift cards sold, with recipients taking advantage of the choice on offer through the card.

Led by Bradford Business Improvement District, the Bradford City Centre Gift Card launched in November 2021 and can be spent with around 150 businesses in the city – including national brands and independents.

Raja Yasin is the owner of Looney Golf and regularly has the Bradford Gift Card spent at his leisure venue. “We’re part of the Bradford Gift Card because it’s a way that we can promote Bradford and encourage new people to visit the city too,” said Raja.

“First and foremost, being a part of the gift card is good advertising. It brings new customers in who get to experience what we offer. Most of the time, these are people who didn’t know we existed.

“One customer had the card as a birthday gift and I thought what a great present to give someone because they can use it in such a wide range of places in Bradford. It’s doing something good for Bradford and showing people what’s here in the city. There really is so much to do, both in the day and at night.

“It’s brilliant that the Bradford Gift Card has reached £60,000 in sales because it shows that it’s working. That money, and extra money on top of it, is being spent in Bradford, being reinvested in Bradford and making our city even better.”

Availability of the gift card has also been key to its adoption in the city, with The Broadway Shopping Centre selling the gift card at the centre, in place of its previous shopping centre gift card.

Bradford BID leveraged its Bradford City Centre Gift Card to introduce the Bradford Night Out Gift Card in October 2022, showcasing the variety of the night time offering in the city.

The BID’s business engagement officer Nikki Chadburn said the impact of the Bradford City Centre Gift Card on Bradford’s economy is significant: “It’s a proud moment seeing the Bradford Gift Card reach £60,000 in sales and we know the true value to our city is considerably higher thanks to people spending over and above the value on the card. That is money that is likely to have been spent in other places or online.

Colin Munro is the managing director of Miconex and said Bradford continues to innovate with its gift card: “Bradford BID has enabled shop local by introducing its gift card, and continues to innovate by partnering with The Broadway to make the gift card really easy to buy locally, as well as online.

“Ease and accessibility is key for customers, and it’s fantastic to see the Bradford Gift Card benefiting local businesses in Bradford and offering unrivalled local choice for customers.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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