Isle of Man: Gift card scheme aimed at boosting winter spending

A Manx gift card could boost trade to help hospitality businesses through the winter months, the government has said.

Backed by the Economic Recovery Group, the scheme is aimed at increasing mid-week spend in local restaurants, cafes and takeaways.

Firms are being invited to sign up for the LoveIOM card, which goes on sale later this month.

But pub landlord Andy Saunders has said the scheme was "not targeted at those in need" and was "a waste of money".

The cards are designed to be topped up with funds to spend on hospitality and accommodation.

A Department for Enterprise (DfE) spokesman said benefits for shoppers include extra credit for dinning out mid-week, with £500,000 set aside to pay for the incentives, more of which "will be revealed in due course".

Head of business at the DfE, Tim Cowsill, said firms would not be charged transaction fees when taking payments using the cards, which "many corporate businesses had been interested in gifting to staff".

The initiative is also aimed at keeping money on the island, rather than it being spent with "international suppliers", he added.

However, the exclusion of products like alcohol and tobacco from the scheme has been criticised by Mr Saunders, who is part of the Licensed Victuallers Association.

He said: "It does not allow spend throughout the trade, for example, wet houses and entertainment venues, which will see no real benefit as you cannot spend the card on alcohol".

"The real issue is residual debt from Covid", and there were "better ways to get support to those who need it", he added.

The DfE spokesman said industry feedback on both technical and policy changes to the card system was being considered.

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