St Ives loyalty scheme ahead of Cambs guided bus

ST IVES is set to launch a retail loyalty card next weekend, to help develop a brand image for the town ahead of the arrival of guided bus services later this summer.

St Ives Town Initiative used local creative design agency barterbarrett to design the SITI card, the first of its kind in an East Anglian market town. The card will be given out free to shoppers on Saturday June 27.

For this one day only Huntingdonshire District Council will allow shoppers to park free in its town centre car parks.

The card's aims are to increase collaboration between traders, increase footfall and the frequency of visits and to develop a sense of loyalty and community in the town.

Holders will be entitled to a variety of offers determined individually by participating traders. The scheme allows members of the initiative to update a website with special offers, discounts, loyalty rewards and incentives.

It will be launched in Market Hill at 10am by Huntingdon MP Jonathan Djanogly, who will be joined by senior councillors from HDC and St Ives's mayor, Councillor Brian Luter.

Five thousand leaflets containing the SITI card will be handed out on the day, and members of the public will be able to use them immediately.

Many businesses have already signed up for the scheme and will be displaying a sticker in their windows. Non-members of the initiative can join in for a fee of �60.

Barterbarrett's Simon Wheeler said: "We are proud to be associated with this scheme which helps to support our community and encourages people to spend their hard-earned money with local businesses.

INFORMATION: Formed in 2006, barterbarrett is a full-service creative agency, specialising in design, print and web solutions for busineses locally and nationally. Its growing client list includes such as the Department of Health, the NHS, GE Aviation, and play.com. The Cottages, 1 Ramsey Road, St Ives Cambs PE27 5BZ: telephone 01480 464601; fax 01480 464422; barterbarrett.co.uk