SHOPS in Ludlow are pinning their hopes on a loyalty card scheme to help boost business.

The idea is to encourage people to spend their money with the town’s many smaller independent shops rather than with the larger national chains.

This week sees the ‘Only in Ludlow’ Loyalty Cards hitting shops throughout the town.

The loyalty cards will be available in 48 outlets throughout the town centre of Ludlow.

Behind the whole scheme is the concept that for every pound spent 63p stays within the local economy because people buy from local suppliers and are locally owned.

Ludlow Chamber of Trade claims that this compares to 40p for every pound that is spent with a national chain.

For each transaction over £1 customers get their card stamped by the seller.

When all 20 stamps available on the card have been filled there will be a chance to enter a draw for a Ludlow Hamper.

The latest scheme continues to develop the ‘Only in Ludlow’ promotion that the Ludlow Chamber introduced a number of years ago.

Shops taking part will have the sunflower window stickers and ‘Loyalty Card accepted here’ stickers so they are clearly recognisable.

The scheme is only for independently owned businesses that are situated in the town centre.

They must be a member of Ludlow Chamber of Trade which has an annual fee of £25 for membership.

“We had a big meeting with local businesses, mainly shop owners and this is what they wanted more than anything else,” said Tish Dockerty, secretary of Ludlow Chamber of Trade and Commerce and co-ordinator of the scheme.

“So we set up a working group and this is the result. We are all very pleased with it.’

The ‘Only in Ludlow’ loyalty card scheme is about raising awareness of the enjoyment and economic importance of shopping, eating and drinking in small independently owned businesses.

Leaflets explaining the scheme will be available to pick up along with ‘Only in Ludlow’ Loyalty Cards for free in any of the participating shops.

All they have to do is just fill in their details on the back and then they are good to go.

There will be a prize draw with three gifts every quarter for a unique ‘Only in Ludlow’ hamper. The first draw will be in September.

Tish Dockerty told a recent public meeting at Ludlow Brewery that the local economy remains very fragile. She said that it was made up largely of very small businesses employing fewer than 10 people that are in many cases struggling to make ends meet.

Ludlow Chamber of Trade and Commerce has been concerned about the impact of larger national chains on smaller shops. It has been at the forefront of a campaign to try to stop a plan to build a new out of town supermarket in Rocks Green.

It is also the Chamber that is behind the ‘Tinsel Tuesdays’ initiative in the month before Christmas.

Other ideas that have been considered in the past include the introduction of a ‘Ludlow pound’ – effectively a token that could be purchased and only used in independent shops.