Call for rethink over Wolverhampton shops gift card scheme
A city gift card scheme encouraging people to buy local has been branded a failure after only around one card a day was sold.
The Enjoy Wolverhampton Gift Card scheme was launched in September 2018, enabling shoppers to place money on a card which could then be spent in shops around the city.
But new figures requested by the E&S show that only 425 cards have been sold (an average of 1.07 per day), prompting a local Labour councillor to call for the scheme to be scrapped.
Bosses at the Enjoy Wolverhampton Business Improvement District (BID) – the not-for-profit organisation which runs the scheme – insist the card has helped boost footfall for the 135 businesses involved.
They say it has sold goods to the value of £16,000 since its launch and claim cardholders have "typically" spent more than the card's value.
However, Councillor Milkinder Jaspal described the total – which equates to around £40 a day – as "peanuts" and questioned whether there had been an increase in the number of people shopping in the city centre.
"I requested figures on footfall a year ago but have never received them," the former city Mayor said. "We can all see what is happening – there is no noticeable increase. Shops are closing and people are deserting the city centre.
"Sadly there are not enough opportunities to use a gift card in the city centre, which is one of the main reasons why take up has been so low.
"It has been a failure, but you could say it was doomed to failure from the start. Over the years we have had a number of these schemes and none of them have worked.
"Before a card scheme can be successful, we first need to attract more people into the city. To do that we need more parking spaces – and make them free of charge, and a better variety of shops.
"I would call on the BID team to use their imagination and come up with something more useful."
BID director Cherry Shine, said: "Enjoy Wolverhampton BID are committed to continuing the gift card scheme and have plans to promote the scheme and those businesses that accept the card over the up and coming festive period and beyond.
"We are really happy with the scheme, it keeps spend in the city, supports the 'shop local' message, supports over 135 city centre businesses, provides a great way to promote their individual businesses and showcases the full business, retail, leisure and entertainment offer we have in the city centre.
"And at the same time it provides a unique gift that the recipient can tailor for any occasion."
Concerns had been raised in some quarters that not all of the listed businesses were accepting the gift card.
The Express & Star found that nine of the 11 participating outlets it visited accepted the card.
Visit enjoywolverhamptongiftcard.com for details about the scheme.
