‘Love Galway’ gift card scheme launched in bid to boost city’s local economy
Galway city’s retail and small business landscape is shrinking but a new local gift card initiative is aiming to curb those closures by keeping spending within local businesses.
The Galway Chamber, in partnership with Galway City Council, has announced the launch of the Love Galway/Grá do Ghaillimh Gift Card programme this Autumn, designed to encourage consumers and employers to keep cash flow in the hyperlocal economy.
The scheme will allow customers to purchase a physical or digital gift card that can be used across a range of participating businesses, including retailers, beauty providers, tourism operators, health services and professional firms.
People walking down Shop Street in Galway city centre. © Getty
Organisers said that the initiative is intended to keep more money circulating within the local economy and support businesses by driving footfall and encouraging repeat spending.
Participation in the programme will be free for businesses to sign up and commission-free for transactions.
The scheme is also designed to support the Small Benefit Exemption Scheme, which allows employers to provide staff with up to €1,500 annually in non-cash benefits without attracting tax liabilities.
Galway Chamber is now inviting businesses to express their interest in participating. Interested parties can register online and attend a series of information sessions scheduled over the coming weeks.
Reaction to the announcement was mixed, with some commenters on social media questioning whether the initiative would significantly benefit small businesses. Others pointed to rising commercial rents and operating costs as larger challenges facing retailers in the city centre.