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With its buzzing shopping areas, iconic seafront, vibrant art scene and inclusive vibe, it’s little wonder that Brighton is regularly voted as one of the best places to live in the UK and one of the best holiday destinations too. And now, Brighton’s unique offering will be accessible through a newly launched gift card for the city.
Brilliant Brighton, a collective of city centre businesses who come together to put on projects – including dressing the city with bunting, banners and hanging baskets in the summer, and Christmas lighting during the festive period to make the city centre a fantastic place to work, live and visit, is behind the launch of the new Brighton Gift Card.
The Mastercard backed gift card can be spent with all types and sizes of businesses in Brighton, including independents in The Lanes, North Laine and Preston Street, and well-known chains in East Street, North Street and Western Road.
Above: the new Brighton Gift Card is now live
A business set to accept the new Brighton Gift Card is Jewellers Gold Arts. Managing Director Doug Newman said the card will keep money locked into the city:
“Brighton exudes a distinctive charm that sets it apart from other places. It offers a diverse range of experiences, starting with the lively and bustling North Laine, brimming with unconventional shops and enticing restaurants. On the other hand, East Street caters to those seeking renowned brands and high-end stores.
“However, it is in The Lanes, where our business is situated, that the true magic unfolds. This enchanting area has often been compared to Diagon Alley, with its intricate maze of twisting alleys adorned with delightful eateries and exquisite jewellers. In fact, the concentration of jewellers in The Lanes surpasses even that of Hatton Garden.
“The history of The Lanes is captivating, once thriving with bakers and fishmongers, drawing shoppers for centuries. It is reassuring to imagine that The Lanes will continue to captivate visitors for many more centuries to come, especially with initiatives like the Brighton Gift Card. This wonderful program encourages people to explore Brighton and indulge in its unique atmosphere. There truly is nowhere else quite like it.
“Gold Arts, our family-run business, was established by my father in 1979. In today’s digital age, more and more people are opting for convenient payment methods like using their smartphones. The added benefit of being able to purchase a digital Brighton Gift Card, which can be conveniently used with Apple or Google Pay, is truly fantastic. Moreover, the fact that every penny spent with the card must remain within Brighton is a brilliant boost for our beloved city.”
The Brighton Gift Card works like a regular debit card, meaning the card can be spent in one business or many.
Another business in The Lanes that accepts the Brighton Gift Card is independent art gallery Kellie Miller Arts. Owner Kellie Miller said the card can help people to discover new businesses:
“The gallery is in its 10th year now, representing 60 artists and incorporating sculpture, ceramics, paintings and glass. When I first moved to The Lanes, there were 3 galleries, now there are 12, and it’s becoming an amazing gallery retail area, meaning even more people can experience art as it is best experienced, in real life rather than online.
“I’m part of the new Brighton Gift Card because it is a way of joining up the networks of businesses in the area. It’s one card for the city that people can use to support and experience Brighton’s unique galleries, shops, restaurants. And it’s not just for locals, visitors will really benefit from the gift card too.
“It’s incredibly important that Brighton is taking this step of introducing its own gift card. Many people already visit Brighton for its nightlife and for its seafront, but the gift card will help people to discover new, unique, interesting businesses that they may have missed otherwise.”
Simon Webster Hair is one of the North Laine businesses accepting the new Brighton Gift Card. Co-owner Sophie Webster said:
“Simon Webster Hair is a forward thinking, inclusive salon catering to all types of hair with a gender free pricing menu. There are so many vibrant, eclectic businesses in North Laine. When people receive a Brighton Gift Card they can go online and see where it can be spent, and it can signpost them to new businesses that they may have missed otherwise. And that’s as true for locals as it is for visitors.
“Indie businesses often don’t have big marketing budgets and being part of the gift card is great exposure for them, and it’s a way that we can all show our support for the Brighton we know and love. The diversity of what’s on offer in Brighton is what makes it special, and if we want to keep that diversity and vibrancy we have to spend local.
“Customers can pay using their Brighton Gift Card in the same way as any other debit card, and the funds come through to us as a business in the same way. It’s easy for us as a business, and it’s easy for the customer, and, importantly, it offers them a choice.
“Buying on Amazon is an easy option, and you get your item the next day. But take a stroll into Brighton and whatever you need is right here, available on the same day. Buying the Brighton Gift Card is a way that we can retain cash in the local community. If small businesses are doing well, their employees are doing well, and our city is doing well, which attracts even more investment to Brighton.”
Restaurants also feature on the new Brighton Gift Card, including award-winning vegetarian and vegan eatery Terre à Terre. Co-founder Amanda Powley said:
“Terre à Terre has been established in Brighton for 30 years, offering an eclectic global view of meat-free meals with organic wine list, à la carte menu, specials, afternoon tea and the best cocktails too.
“We’re part of the new Brighton Gift Card because it’s a way that we can show how good Brighton is. It has definitely taken businesses time to build themselves back up after the pandemic, and anything that brings new people to try new things is a real positive for our city.
“Brighton has something for everyone from its historic beauty to deliciously quirky lanes, fantastic seafront to culture, and it celebrates every walk of life too. The Brighton Gift Card is us sharing Brighton’s brilliance, opening the city up to a brand new audience.”
Gavin Stewart, CEO at Brilliant Brighton, said the card can encourage additional visitors to the city:
“What’s brilliant about the new Brighton Gift Card is that it wraps up the Brighton experience into one gift card, from its theatre of retail to its exciting restaurants and vibrant arts scene. Our city welcomes 9.5 million day visitors each year. The gift card will encourage people to really experience all that Brighton has to offer through, even extending their stays to overnight, keeping Brighton thriving and attractive as a destination throughout the year.
“Alongside tourism, the fact that the card can be used for birthday gifts, teacher thank you presents and for employee rewards and incentives, means it will also have a huge impact from a local perspective, keeping money locked into the city.”
Brilliant Brighton has teamed up with Brighton-based Tillo, whose innovative platform connects consumers to brands they love using the power of digital gift cards, to launch the new Brighton Gift Card, keeping the program free for businesses:
Alex Preece, CEO and co-founder of Tillo, said the gift card is a local alternative for organisations:
“Tillo employs over 100 people and has processed more than £2 billion pounds of gift cards to date, helping organisations to do everything from reward and incentivise their teams to support families in need.
“It’s fantastic that we now have a Brighton Gift Card that Brighton-based organisations can use to encourage spend locally. We’re giving organisations a local alternative to single retailer gift cards that is suitable for a wide variety of use cases, and we’re driving more revenue for Brighton’s businesses in the process.”
Above: L to R Gavin Stewart, CEO of Brilliant Brighton and Alex Preece, CEO and co-founder of Tillo
Fintech Miconex, founders of the award-winning Town & City Gift Card concept, is providing the technology for the Brighton Gift Card.
Managing director Colin Munro said: “The collaboration between Brilliant Brighton and Tillo on the Brighton Gift Card is exciting. Finally, one of the UK’s best cities has its own gift card that can be used for everything from driving tourism to encouraging local spending and rewards and incentives.”
The Brighton Gift Card is available to buy online and can also be picked up in person from The Brighton Centre, Brighton Station, One Stop Travel and Virgin Money. See a full ‘where to spend’ list for the Brighton Gift Card at: https://townandcitygiftcards.com/product/the-brighton-gift-card/
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