Historic Environment Scotland is the latest major organisation to show its support for the new Scotland Loves Local Gift Card.
Scotland’s leading visitor and heritage body – which tells the story of our nation through its wide-ranging work and venues – has signed up to accept the cards at its sites.
It joins independent retailers, restaurants and leisure venues – as well as big-name brands – in accepting the new local spending schemes, being rolled out across the country.
That means that those with Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards can enjoy all that Historic Environment Scotland has to offer at its sites – which includes the likes of Edinburgh Castle, Elgin Cathedral and the globally-renowned Neolithic world heritage site, Skara Brae on Orkney.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is responsible for the management of more than 300 properties across Scotland, as well almost five million archive items and collections.
It is one of the largest operators of paid-for visitor attractions in Scotland, with staffed sites operating the length and breadth of the country. As the leading body for Scotland’s historic environment, it contributes millions of pounds to the Scottish economy every year.
Elgin Cathedral
Explaining why the organisation has decided to support the Scotland Loves Local Gift card, which visitors are able to spend at all of its venues, HES Head of Sales and Marketing Gillian McDonald said: “It’s great to be supporting this wonderful initiative and in doing so, being able to offer our card holders another benefit and an opportunity to explore their heritage and have great days out when they come and enjoy our sites across the country.
“We look forward to people using the gift card to enjoy all that Scotland’s world renowned historic environment has to offer.”
The Scottish Government is funding the rollout of gift cards across each of the country’s 32 local authority areas. Work is being led by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) as part of the Scotland Loves Local campaign. It is the first time that a local gift card programme has been delivered on this scale.
Kimberley Guthrie, who is leading the gift card programme for STP, said: “We are delighted to have an organisation of Historic Environment Scotland’s stature showing its support for the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card. It’s a tremendous boost to the work that we’re doing.
“Having Historic Environment Scotland on-board shows the great diversity that the gift card delivers. The card is not just about retail and hospitality but has multi sector opportunities for all communities and citizens, offering great benefits for visitor attractions and leisure businesses too.
“We hope that people will use the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card to discover all about life on their doorstep – as well as our nation’s rich heritage.”
Businesses of all kinds are being urged to sign up to accept the gift cards in their region. Cards are now available to buy – with people across the country being urged to consider them as festive gifts.
Kimberley added: “By enjoying the best of local life, we will protect jobs and build a stronger, more sustainable future in the post-pandemic world.”
Registering to accept the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is free, with payments processed through the Mastercard network. STP is working with Perth-based fintech Miconex, which already operates gift card programmes in the UK, Ireland and North America, to deliver the scheme.
For more information about how to register your business to accept the card – or about how to buy a local card – go to www.lovelocal.scot.
Skara Brae
