Glasgow’s own gift card is now available to purchase in person for the first time, thanks to a new partnership between Buchanan Galleries and Glasgow City Council.
Glaswegians can show their support for local businesses and help keep the city centre thriving by buying the Glasgow Gift Card for friends and family from the self-service kiosk, located near the Sauchiehall Street entrance of the shopping centre. The kiosk is accessible during regular Buchanan Galleries opening hours.
The Glasgow Gift Card, part of the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card initiative, is one of the biggest local gift cards in the UK with over 1200 city businesses accepting the card, including national brands and independent businesses. Almost £10 million has been locked into the city through the Glasgow Gift Card since its launch.
Operated by Landsec, Buchanan Galleries is home to over 80 businesses, including major retailers and independent businesses. As part of the partnership, Buchanan Galleries businesses are now also accepting the Glasgow Gift Card, including John Lewis & Partners, LEGO, Social Bite, and ARRAN Sense of Scotland.
Kevin Meechan, CEO of ARRAN Sense of Scotland, is excited to contribute to the growth and vibrancy of Glasgow by participating in the Glasgow Gift Card scheme, he said: “As a business, we’re extremely passionate about promoting and supporting local – an ethos that’s deeply rooted in our Scottish island heritage. We’re looking forward to encouraging locals to get out, explore and shop within the city where we’re proud to have one of our branded retail stores.
“The Glasgow Gift Card scheme will impact us as a local business, allowing our brand to gain additional exposure to customers, particularly among customers who are looking to support independents, and it’ll also help us increase foot traffic to our Buchanan Galleries store. We’re proud to be a part of the Scotland Loves Local initiative and are fully committed to enhancing the cultural and commercial vitality of Glasgow during the city’s 850th birthday celebrations.”
Kathy Murdoch, centre director at Buchanan Galleries, said: “We’re thrilled to support our city in its 850th year with the introduction of the Glasgow Gift Card, making it easily available to guests at our dedicated kiosk in Buchanan Galleries.
“The Glasgow Gift Card celebrates the city’s vibrant retail and hospitality scene, encouraging people to support local businesses and discover more of what Glasgow has to offer. With our mix of big brands and local independents, Buchanan Galleries is perfectly aligned with the ethos of the gift card, and we look forward to incorporating it into our promotions throughout the year.”
Glasgow City Council is delivering a year long, citywide programme to mark its 850th birthday.
Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The Glasgow Gift Card has been a great success since its launch, bringing over £10million into the local economy and supporting businesses and jobs in the city. The new kiosk at Buchanan Galleries will make it easy for more people to use or give these cards, further driving the economic growth caused by the scheme.”
The technology for the Glasgow Gift Card – and over 100 Scotland Loves Local and Town & City Gift Card programmes across the UK – is provided by Miconex. Glasgow joins a handful of towns and cities selling their local gift card through a self-service kiosk.
David O’Neil is the chief commercial officer at Miconex and said: “Our local gift cards tap into what people want; choice and support for local. We also know that, when it comes to buying gifts, convenience is a huge factor with 1 in 3 people choosing gifts based on how quickly they can get them. Enhancing accessibility to local gift cards like the Glasgow Gift Card is key to developing a ‘shop local’ ethos, driving maximum footfall in our high streets, and retaining maximum spend, highlighting the importance of partnerships between shopping centres and towns and cities. The introduction of the self-service kiosk at Buchanan Galleries during the city’s 850th birthday celebrations is a fitting tribute to one of the city’s success stories – the Glasgow Gift Card.”
The Scotland Loves Local Gift Card initiative is backed by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) as part of its wider Scotland Loves Local initiative, urging people to get behind businesses in their home area.
Nicola Hutchinson, who leads on Scotland Loves Local at STP, said: “The Scotland Loves Local Glasgow Gift Card is a tremendous success story, boosting the city’s economy by delivering real benefits for people and businesses. Every gift card bought injects cash into Glasgow businesses. This new kiosk opens yet more opportunities for people to buy gift cards – and spread those benefits even further. It’s great to see.”
