Gift vouchers can help boost economic circulation...

Stephen O’Sullivan, Chairperson of Killorglin Chamber Alliance

ONE of the ways consumers can help regenerate local business is by purchasing gift vouchers from local businesses. It’s a simple and yet highly effective way of ensuring cash flow circulates in the local economy at a steadier rate.

We’ve all been denied regular treats and visits to local haunts since the lockdown commenced (the same is true of friends and families). Retail outlets, coffee shops, hairdressers, hardware stores, restaurants and many more services that rely on local custom will slowly be advancing from the COVID-19 restrictions in the coming weeks. These businesses are going to need support in order to stay afloat and maintain local employment. Gift vouchers not only allow the recipient to shop for items of their choice, they also produce a much needed financial jolt to get things up and running again in our towns and villages after what has been an incredibly challenging time.

A strong local economy is vital to a locality’s existence; it creates and sustains jobs; it creates social cohesion and establishes a sense of permanency in the place we live. Lastly, supporting local businesses by purchasing gift vouchers allows you to spread your spending and support more businesses at the same time. This is exactly what’s needed right now.