More than £100,000 worth of Love Bedford vouchers will be in circulation in the lead up to Christmas.

And more will follow in the New Year as people cash in vouchers bought for them in the coming weeks.

The BedfordBID-run voucher scheme means that independents as well as giant chains, can benefit from the vouchers as national gift vouchers often exclude small shops and single restaurants.

The Love Bedford vouchers can be purchased at the Tourist Information Centre and the Bedford Swan Hotel, both on St Paul’s Square, Bedford. Larger quantities can be bought direct from BedfordBID by businesses who want to reward staff and customers.

“BedfordBID is making sure local money goes to local businesses,” explained Christina Rowe, Director of BedfordBID,

“This scheme is well established and is on the way to putting

£1 MILLION into local tills. This is locally-run project which directly benefits town centre businesses and is only made possible because of the ‘all year round’ promotional activity of the BID.”

One of the biggest supporters of the Love Bedford voucher scheme is Bedford College which has purchased hundreds of thousands of vouchers in total since the scheme was launched by the BedfordBID. This year the College has bought £80,000 worth which will be given to staff and students as rewards.

Love Bedford is the marketing brand of BedfordBID which represents more than 500 levy-paying businesses in the town centre. It promotes the town for the benefit of all businesses, large and small. The board is made up of volunteer business representatives who oversee a small paid team which includes the town centre Bluecaps.