A UNIQUE voucher scheme designed to boost trade in Hay-on-Wye will be officially launched tonight.
Hay Vouchers have been designed to keep money in the local economy and could be a step towards Hay having its own currency in the future.
The vouchers are the brainchild of Debbie Davies, a partner at Pughes@Londis, who came up with the money-spinning idea as she was planning her Christmas shopping last year.
She had been thinking about buying Christmas presents and vouchers when she realised Hay could have its own voucher scheme. She e-mailed the town’s chair of the Chamber of Commerce, Andrew Williams, with her idea.
“I said you can get high street vouchers for out of town stores but what about having a Hay voucher that will keep money going around the town. I was getting quite excited about it,” said Debbie.
She said the feedback she got from other traders was “really positive” and now businesses of all sorts have come on board and are displaying a Hay Vouchers sticker in their windows and a virtual sticker on websites.
“People have said they can’t believe how many stickers they have seen in windows,” said Debbie.
The official launch takes place at the switching on of the town’s Christmas lights at 7pm tonight.
Debbie is selling them from her shop in the High Street and said she has been “thrilled” to see them beginning to circulate.
“It doesn’t cost businesses anything. Anyone who takes cash can take a voucher. At the end of the day it’s to keep more money in Hay. It will get people to shop locally,” said Debbie, who said traders return the spent vouchers to her in return for cash.
The scheme doesn’t cost businesses anything. Costs were met by Hay Chamber of Commerce which spent just £400 on getting £15,000 worth of vouchers in £5 and £10 denominations designed and printed.
Andrew Williams said the voucher scheme has great potential.
“We are looking for businesses and residents to get behind the scheme by buying and accepting the vouchers, as staff incentives or for birthdays and Christmas presents.
“We think the vouchers look fantastic, and we’re hugely grateful to BWA Design for coming up with such an engaging artistic direction. It’s also a great way for the Chamber to invest in the town; by spending £400 on the vouchers, we’re ring-fencing £15,000 to be spent in local businesses.”
He added: “This is something everyone in the Chamber has been pleased to get behind. The key thing for me is keeping cash in the local economy.
“People do buy things on line and from the supermarket but if we can divert that spend into the local economy that’s a good thing.
“Hay would struggle if it lost its small businesses. Anything we can do to encourage people to spend locally is good. And it’s easy to shop in Hay, there’s a surprising range.
“Any businesses can join in Hay including accommodation providers, local trades people and even the Hay Ho bus on a Sunday,” said Andrew.
Manager of Shepherds Ice Cream parlour in Hay, David Joyce, said he thinks the voucher scheme is a “really good idea.”
“I think it’s great that someone is doing something. It keeps the money in Hay and if you don’t know what to buy someone it’s great.
“I haven’t come across a community scheme like this before. We have all heard of high street vouchers but nothing where a town does it for themselves. It’s a really good idea.”
Derek Glashan at Hay Deli in Lion Street, said: “Almost everyone in Lion Street has signed up to it. It has been really well received.
“There are elements that could be really powerful because people will not be getting so many high street vouchers. It seems to be a good thing to have the money circulating here.”
People had already been discussing the merit of Hay having its own currency and the voucher scheme could be a way to test the idea.
Andrew said he is keen for the currency idea to remain an “aspiration.”
“The gap between vouchers and our own currency is big, but if we are thinking that’s something we want to do this is a step towards it,” he said.
For now the town will be promoting its new voucher scheme which will keep the tills jingling in town this Christmas and beyond.
“For me it shows the town is pulling together, helping and supporting each other,” added Debbie.
Any businesses in Hay on Wye who want to take part in the scheme should speak to Andrew by emailing him at [email protected]. The Hay Voucher scheme will be officially launched at the switching on of the Christmas Lights in Hay tonight (Friday, November 27).