A loyalty card for Swanage called the Purbeck Pass is being launched to benefit shoppers and businesses through the year – and also to make the town a brighter place at Christmas.
The Purbeck Pass, backed by Swanage Chamber of Trade is on sale at £5 for a 12-month subscription at the Swanage Information Centre on Shore Road.
The Purbeck Pass offers shoppers discounts at local businesses
Special deals or reductions to card holders
The Purbeck Pass aims to reward those who regularly shop in Swanage with discounts, while increasing footfall and encouraging return custom at local businesses.
The idea was first put forward in 2019 but the effects of Covid on the town, followed by the impact of the Sandbanks chain ferry being closed for three months over Christmas 2022, has delayed its launch.
Traders who are signed up to the loyalty card are offering special deals or reductions to card holders, while the subscription fees are going directly back into Swanage’s town centre including making the Christmas street lights display even better.
While it’s still early days, a lot of interest has been shown in the scheme and the first business partners have already begun signing up, with early positive reactions suggesting that many more will follow suit.
Discounts available at Sage and Stone and GHPM Printing in Tilly Whim Mews just off Kings Road East
Polly Sampson-Hunt and Geoff Hunt have signed both Sage and Stone and GHPM Printing up to the card
Showcase some truly wonderful shops
Sylvia Libicka from Swanage Chamber of Trade, who is the driving force behind the loyalty card, said:
“We have been very encouraged by the number of firms showing an interest in our Purbeck Pass loyalty card and all the positive responses we are getting to the idea.
“All business small and large are welcome to join, even those which don’t have a street presence, but we do want to keep it local and there is no cost involved for companies who want to become part of the scheme.
“The range of local businesses in and around Swanage is very exciting and bringing them together in a loyalty scheme like this will benefit everyone.
“Our aim is to keep people spending in Swanage, showcase some truly wonderful independent shops, let customers find some great offers and benefit the whole community.”
Raspberry Rose is one of the Swanage stores to join the Purbeck Pass
Jewellery shop Amber Bay’s first offer for the loyalty card is 10 percent off silver pendants
Monthly discounts and offers
Among the first businesses to sign up to the card are gift shop Sage and Stone, florists Buds of Mave, GHPM Printing, homeware and gift shop Raspberry Rose, Simon’s Wax and Relax, adventure company Dorset Safari, soft toy jewellers Amber Bay, and handbag and accessories store Pursenalities.
Card holders will be notified of all new businesses joining the scheme as well as monthly discounts and offers. A list of all businesses taking part in the scheme will be publicised in various shops and businesses throughout the town, as well as on a dedicated Facebook page.
Buds of Mave, run by Caroline Finch, is offering 10 percent off flower orders over £35
Positive step forward after an anxious time
Chair of Swanage Chamber of Trade, Caroline Finch and owner of florists Buds of Mave said:
“There are so many amazing businesses in Swanage and the Purbeck area who have been working hard to make the concept a success. We are delighted to have such local support.
“We want to see enough incentives in and around town to keep locals and visitors spending here. Not only will they be able to benefit from discounts but also become more aware of the diversity of Swanage and Purbeck firms that exist on their doorstep.”
Proceeds from the card will go towards boosting the Christmas lights in Swanage’s town centre
The Purbeck Passes are on sale at the Swanage Information Centre
All proceeds to go back to local causes
Swanage Town Council visitor services manager Culvin Milmer added:
“We have been discussing the idea for quite a while, as a way of supporting businesses after Covid, and I am very pleased that it is finally coming to fruition just as the main season is about to start.
“Genuinely, local firms are taking part, which is nice, and all the proceeds from the Purbeck Pass will go back to local good causes.
Michelle Poultney at Pursenalities is backing the loyalty card scheme
Loyalty cards first introduced in 1981
A similar scheme in Wareham, the Love It Local card featuring retail offers through Wareham and Purbeck, has been launched in Wareham and will be launched in Swanage at the end of May 2023.
Loyalty cards were first introduced in the UK in 1981, with Sainsburys Homebase being the first household name to join in, and it is now estimated that 85 percent of adults have at least one loyalty card in their wallet or purse.
Almost every supermarket now runs its own loyalty scheme to boost trade and encourage repeat business, with garages and food chains joining in. More recent arrivals to the game have included Waterstones, Paperchase, Pret A Manger, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and even Levis Jeans.
Further information
- Stay up to date with latest additions to the Purbeck Pass loyalty card on its Facebook page
- Shops and businesses wishing to sign up to the loyalty scheme should contact Sylvia Libicka at Amber Bay in Institute Road in Swanage’s town centre
- To buy a Purbeck Pass visit Swanage Information Centre in Shore Road
