Press Release: 01 July 2020

Local Rewards. A new win-win scheme for businesses and consumers in the 2010 postcode.

A new community-based loyalty scheme has been launched in Surry Hills and surrounding areas including Redfern, Chippendale, Darlinghurst and Potts Point with the aim of supporting local businesses and providing incentives for consumers to shop local.

Local Rewards is an initiative of the Surry Hills Creative Precinct (SHCP) with the support from the City of Sydney.

Launching in mid-July 2020, Local Rewards is a gift card program where consumers can load up the cards with their chosen amount, and then spend the funds at participating merchants in their local neighbourhoods.

Cards cost $3 to purchase, but it is expected that significantly more will be returned to purchasers through the value of exclusive offers.

For consumers:

  • Local Rewards is a great way to access exclusive offers AND support local businesses at the same time
  • Great to purchase coffee from your local café, along with breakfast and lunch
  • A great gift suggestion for friends and family. If they don’t live in the area, the card will bring them in and their spend will also support local businesses
  • Easy to use and looks great. Artwork is designed by local artist Nico Nicoson and other artists will be featured in future print runs

For merchants

  • Merchants will make exclusive offers available to cardholders, and these will be listed on the website localrewards.com.au and promoted through the SCHP’s media partner Urban Village, which publishes both in print and online. 30,000 copies of Urban Village are letterbox dropped to residences in the 2010 postcode and distributed to pick up points throughout the City of Sydney local government area.
  • Local Rewards uses the EFTPOS payment system, so any merchant including sole traders, cafes, artists, hotels and pubs can participate with any EFTPOS terminal
  • Easy to register. Go to localrewards.com.au and sign up
  • Great way to drive customer loyalty, promote your business through the Urban Village platform, and bring in consumers from outside of the area

Local Rewards is also operating a recycling program for used cards. When all of the value on a card has been used it can be returned to any participating outlet and go into a monthly draw to win another card, with $50 in value. Returned cards will be recycled by the manufacturer.

SCHP president Leigh Harris welcomed the Local Rewards initiative, which has been designed as a “win-win” for both merchants and consumers.

“Particularly after the COVID disruptions, the local economy is vitally important and Local Rewards is designed as a contribution to local economic stimulus on a community scale,” said Harris.

“It’s a way for consumers to show their loyalty to the businesses which make up our community, and as a vehicle for merchants to innovate and drive new sales.”


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