The government is encouraging people to visit local hospitality venues across the island with the relaunch of one of its LoveIOM schemes.

‘Why Not Weekdays?’ is an incentive under the banner of LoveIOM – which encourages people to spend money in local businesses and stimulate the economy – that offers customers 25% credit back when using the card from Monday to Thursday.

It will start on January 2 after the Department for Enterprise received industry feedback which prompted it to launch the scheme earlier than planned. The card can be used at more than 60 hospitality venues and this incentive will be in place until March.

This comes after the hospitality industry’s repeated pleas for more support from the government due to a lack of staff and customers.

Blaming the pandemic for reduced numbers entering pubs and restaurants, the sector has struggled to bring people in.

However, last year’s weekday incentive saw an increase in daily spending taking place Monday to Thursday when compared to Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays prior to the launch of this specific incentive.

The government said this demonstrates the ‘value of such initiatives that target footfall and spend increase over quieter trading periods’.

By paying with a LoveIOM gift card, consumers will receive 25% credit back on their purchases from participating venues Monday to Thursday, up to a maximum of £50 per day.

The credit back is automatically applied to the same gift card used to make the purchase the following day and this 25% credit can be used at more than 60 pubs, bars, cafes, restaurants and hotels across the island that are signed up to the scheme.

For example, if £10 is spent on a Love-IOM gift card at a hospitality venue, the customer will receive £2.50 back and if £30 is spent they will get £7.50 back.

Enterprise Minister Lawrie Hooper said: ‘This festive season we have seen a great sense of community from our island’s residents in response to our message of supporting local businesses.

‘Over 1,000 gift cards have been purchased in the past few weeks and I would like to thank all residents and corporate businesses for their ongoing support in keeping gifting spend within our island this winter.

‘This incentive is designed to reward spend during weekdays, the key time highlighted by industry as quiet, especially during the winter months. At the same time it is also hoped that it will help residents’ money go further.’

The LoveIOM gift card ‘Why Not Weekdays?’ incentive is part of targeted measures announced by the DfE, backed by the Economic Strategy Board and Treasury, to support local businesses and help stimulate economic activity, generate footfall and bring communities together across the island’s towns and villages this winter.

Andy Saunders, owner of The Original Quids Inn, a LoveIOM merchant, added: ‘We signed up for the Love IOM gift card scheme because it offers a real bonus for our customers, and is very easy to coordinate within the business.

‘We saw a positive impact on our footfall throughout the previous “Why Not Weekdays?” incentive and we are already seeing increased usage of the card with the current promotion.

‘We expect to see an even larger uptick once the “Why Not Weekdays?” incentive of 25% credit back goes live on January 2, 2023.’

Hospitality and accommodation businesses not yet part of the scheme can sign up online at loveiom.com/merchants