Over the past year, the Scotland Loves Local campaign has been highlighting the need to back local town centres during the hugely difficult circumstances businesses have faced.

The campaign has shone a spotlight on the importance of local businesses and the people behind them, recognising the remarkable ways in which they have supported their communities during Covid-19.

Martin Whitfield MSP is pleased to be backing the next phase of the campaign encouraging Scots to think and choose local first, thereby supporting local businesses in communities, town centres and high streets across Scotland to get back on their feet after Covid-19.

To help Scots to do that, the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is being rolled out across every region of Scotland. The Gift Card is a localised product unique to each region of Scotland, driving footfall to local businesses and keeping spend local for longer. In East Lothian, it will complement the existing and highly successful East Lothian Gift Card initiative.

The Gift Card is completely free for businesses to receive payments through, utilising the MasterCard network. Businesses simply need to undertake a quick two-step process to register.

Businesses can register direct at: https://lovelocal.scot/giftcard/