Glasgow gift cards: £2.2 million already spent in shops

Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken revealed on social media that 70% of the 85,000 households which had received the Scotland Loves Local Glasgow Gift Card had activated them.

She also posted that £2.2m had been spent in ‘Glasgow high streets and shopping centres’ in the first week.

Cllr Aitken posted: “Over 70% of cards activated already and £2.2 million spent in Glasgow high streets & shopping centres in the first week. I’ve had some lovely emails & letters from folk who’ve been able to buy or do something they wouldn’t otherwise have been able to afford.”

The cards were issued just over a week ago in a bid to both help people through the cost of living crisis and businesses recovering from the impact of Covid-19.

Each card included £105 and were sent to thousands of low-income households across Glasgow.

The money can be spent in more than 700 businesses in Glasgow that have signed up to be part of the scheme - from restaurants and shops, to supermarkets and even the Glasgow subway.