The Sunday Times Best Places to Live Guide 2022: Ilkley launches gift card to provide a boost to 50 businesses

The new Ilkley Town Centre Gift Card is available to buy online as either a physical or digital card, and can be spent with more than 50 businesses in the town, including shops, restaurants and services. A sales point will be added in the coming months.

A spokesman said: “Driven by Ilkley Business Improvement District, the new gift card is part of the BID’s mission to make local shopping easy, cater for how customers shop now and in the future, and help to position Ilkley for a digitally enabled future.

“Physical gift cards are sent to the recipient by post with an optional gift message. Digital gift cards are sent to the recipient as a text or email, the recipient can then add the balance of their Ilkley Town Centre Gift Card to their digital wallet and make their purchase using their phone, either online or in-store.”

Ilkley was also named as The Sunday Times Best Place To Live 2022 in April.

Helen Rhodes, the BID manager at Ilkley BID, said the introduction of the new gift card will enhance the town’s attractiveness for locals and visitors.

She added: “Gift cards are incredibly popular, with 40% of people purchasing at least one gift card in the past three years. Over 50% of people used gift cards with a new business in 2021, and people typically spend around 65% more when they redeem their gift card.

“Now, with the Ilkley Town Centre Gift Card, we have a single gift card that can be used right across the town, giving people a local, fun and easy way to shop local. But as well as locals, the Ilkley Town Centre Gift Card can be used by visitors, and by local employers to reward and incentivise their staff. The Ilkley Town Centre Gift Card is a gateway to all that Ilkley has to offer.”

One of the businesses which has signed up to receive the the gift card as payment is Attic Womenswear.

Sarah Lyles, founder of Attic Womenswear, said: “We can’t wait to see people embracing local life by using the Ilkley Town Centre Gift Card, whether that’s meeting friends for a coffee or meal, or enjoying shopping in one of our independent boutiques.

“It’s more thoughtful than a cash gift as it shows that the purchaser has a real pride in our local offering and it’s a great way to support our town. It may encourage people to shop at places they’ve never been before.”