hero image

The shop local and loyal revolution from Scottish fintech Miconex with Town and City Gift Cards and Mi Rewards

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Driving local economic recovery at a place level and encouraging people to shop local continues to be the mission for Miconex who has introduced 17 new Town and City Gift Card programmes in 2020, taking its total number of local gift card programmes to more than 50.

The first Town and City Gift Card programme launched in Perth in 2015, and over £2 million has been spent through the programmes since then, with significant increases in recent months. The Town and City Gift Cards scheme picked up the award for best use of prepaid at the Incentive Awards in September.

Town and City Gift Cards are branded to a particular town, city or region. As prepaid Mastercards, the multi-venue gift cards work like local currency that can be spent on everything from retail and hospitality, to leisure and services.

Key developments for the Town and City Gift Card schemes include the launch of two new programmes for Ireland, in Ballinrobe and Drogheda, assisted by the creation of an Irish subsidiary for Miconex. Plus, new programmes in Northern Ireland, Scotland, the North West, the North East, Yorkshire and the South, including an Island scheme for the Isle of Wight.

To support the rapid expansion, Miconex developed a new Town and City Gift Cards website which enables customers to buy gift cards for towns and cities around the UK in one place and allows the fintech to provide a fully managed service that includes the technical aspects of payment and redemption, and fulfilment of online orders.

Chief Executive of Our Bury St Edmunds Mark Cordell said:

“We like products that are centralised that don’t require a massive input of resource from us as a BID, because there are only three of us and we don’t have that time available. The new Town and City Gift Cards website has centralised the day to day operations like fulfilment of orders within Miconex. It worked for us as a programme.”

With Christmas parties being off the table for 2020, Miconex and its places have worked on corporate orders for its local gift cards.

In a further effort to support BIDS and the places it works with, Miconex launched its Great Town and City Christmas Quiz in December to encourage people to shop local. The Christmas quiz offers players the chance to win a £1500 gift card for their choice of the 50 plus active Town and City Gift Card programmes in the UK and Ireland. People can enter at: https://townandcitygiftcards.com/christmasquiz/ before the closing date of the 18th December 2020.

Residents from places all around the UK and Ireland, whether they have an active Town and City Gift Card programme or not, are encouraged to compete against each other for a chance of being crowned the cleverest Christmas town or city of 2020.

Miconex also supports places with loyalty programmes through Mi Rewards, which started its life in Perth in 2018 and expanded across the UK in 2020 with launches in Guildford, Fleet, Stoke-on-Trent, Barnsley and Enniskillen. Customers register with Mi Rewards, link their existing payment cards, and receive rewards every time they use their payment card in a participating local business, without the need for a separate loyalty card.

In 2020, Miconex expanded from its UK base to deliver gift card programmes in Canada and North America through Miconex Inc., in association with international payments technology solutions provider EML Payments. Programmes include Downtown Lynchburg, Downtown Mesa, Downtown Billings, Cordova and Downtown Peterborough. September saw the launch of Miconex’s first Canadian project, the Canada’s Food Island Gift Card for Prince Edward Island. This became a $1.6 million project within 6 weeks.

To find out more about how Miconex can support your town or city to lock in local spend and drive loyalty, contact managing director Colin Munro: info@mi-cnx.com

Latest Articles

SEPTEMBER INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

AUGUST INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

JULY INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

APRIL INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

MARCH INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

DESIGN YOUR SCHEME READY FOR A SUCCESSFUL RESULT

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

FEBRUARY INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

JANUARY INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

DECEMBER INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

NOVEMBER'S INSIGHT BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

10 key considerations from The National BIDs Conference

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

October's Insight by Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

A PRO-BUSINESS (AND NOT SO MINI) BUDGET FROM OUR NEW CHANCELLOR

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

September's Insight by Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

National BID Awards 2022

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

August's insight by Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

July's Insight by Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Leadership race: Businesses need competent hands on the tiller

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

JUNE'S INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Greening our cities

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

MAY'S INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Bringing back The Golden Mile in Belfast

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

April's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Industrial BID Members to meet at Penrith Industrial BID

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

HINCKLEY BID: Attracting visitors through our annual pancake race

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

March's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

February's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Bb joins national campaign to encourage workers back to offices

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

TURNING BUSINESS FOOD WASTE INTO VEGETABLES IN BOURNEMOUTH

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BACK TO PLAN A, NOW NO MORE TO-ING AND FRO-ING!

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

January's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Businesses need clarity from government in 2022

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Over 100 destinations urge UK government to deliver 'business booster

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

December's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Plan B: £4bn Loss Predicted for hospitality sector

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Small Business Saturday Spotlight: BRINGING FAMILIES TO TOWN WITH THE HELP OF SNOW QUEENS AND ICE FAIRIES

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Small Business Saturday: Wizard of Oz comes to Saffron Walden

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Small Business Saturday spotlight: Hidden crackers in Nottingham

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs and The Means are delighted with GO! Southampton BIDs successful ballot

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs to welcome new BIDs to the Ballot Buddy portfolio

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

November's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Unemployment is falling, but our recovery is patchy

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

National BIDs Conference 2021

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Budget 2021 - letter to Chancellor

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

October's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

High street app attracts thousands of visitors to Lanark

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

September's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Getting back on track

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

August's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

The future health of our High Street Businesses

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

July's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Freedom day is coming… and BIDs are performing an incredible public service

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

June's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BIDlife

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Our rapidly evolving workspaces

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs appointed to support Swindon renewal ballot

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

May's Insight from Chris Turner - 2021

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Indoor service please

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

ACT NOW FOR A STAND-OUT LIGHTING DISPLAY THIS WINTER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Evidence to The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee on Permitted Development Rights

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Amazon clicks and thirsty punters… now for business rates

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Welcome people back to your high street with Plantscape’s floral displays

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

High streets a part of life?

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BIDlife - Send us your reopening photos

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

April's Insight from Chris Turner - 2021

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

The Big Heart of Merthyr Tydfil BID and Northfield BID achieve Accreditation

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Maybe* - 7 ways to reconnect with your BID levy payers and their customers

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

March’s ballot results – a congratulations from British BIDs

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Ballot Buddy helps achieve a new term for Sheffield BID

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs meets with UK's largest national chains

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

March's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Retail repositioning continues

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Colour and animation for magical lights this Christmas - GALA LIGHTS

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

The recovery Budget delivered, where now for our towns and cities?

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

£1bn Towns Fund for 45 areas in England announced

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

February ballot results – a congratulations from the British BIDs team

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

February's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Letter on proposed new Permitted Development Rights

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Watford BID overcoming the challenges to secure a ‘YES’ vote

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID ballots during lockdown

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Business Interruption Policy Checker, Christmas Support Payments and Lockdown Guidance and elections

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

The headlines are gloomy, but our future evolved local high street looks exciting

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

As we lose a retail icon, we must embrace the change

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

January's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Digital trends in 2021

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs and Industrial BIDs discuss crime prevention

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Government names 72 high streets in England to share £831m recovery fund

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

A look back on 2020 BID ballots

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

December's insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

#BIDlife - putting the spotlight on our towns and cities!

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

How can and should BIDs be more community focused?

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Christmas lights provide feel-good factor in challenging times

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Welsh guidance about the coronavirus rules that will be in place from 6pm Friday 4 December

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Repurposing our places for the future

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Arcadia Group – Guidance for BIDs, 1 December 2020

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Calling on the Government to do more to support Retail, Hospitality and Leisure

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Increase your footfall over the festive period - Blachere Illumination

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

November's insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

LoyalFree: The high street app helping businesses trade through the lockdown

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID community prepares for second lockdown

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Job Support Scheme expanded to firms required to close due to Covid Restrictions

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - 1st November 2020

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs congratulates confirmed areas to receive new Town Deals Fund

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Paul Clement steps down from British BIDs after long-standing service

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

October's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs congratulates Melanie Beck on being awarded MBE for ‘Services to the Community’ during Covid-19

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BIDs in the news

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs and Industrial BIDs share best practice

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

September's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs requests extension of 'Eat out To Help Out' Scheme

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

​Bb requests further BID term extension from MHCLG

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Bb to launch new research entitled 'Shaping the Future'

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Your Pontypridd Receives Accreditation

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

August's insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Levy reduction letter from BIDs - download the template

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Local lockdowns and areas of interventions: how to prepare

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs' response on levy payments

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs supports Business Resilience Survey

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Get involved in our response to Government

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Preparing for localised lockdown webinar follow up

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Look back on lockdown - BIDs (part 2)

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

July's insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Webinar with high street expert Bill Grimsey

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Ruth Duston joins British BIDs Advisory Board

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Towns Fund – updated guidance

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Look back on lockdown - BIDs

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

June's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

From BBC news, to virtual meetings & training, we reflect on the past 3 months

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BBC News Channel - Professor Christopher Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Industrial and Business Park BIDs share good practice with virtual networking sessions

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

New research on BIDs and the 'new normal'

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Important announcement: MHCLG BID Loan Fund

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Ed Cooke joins British BIDs Advisory Board

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

THAT WAS THE BB WEEK THAT WAS #9 (W/C 18TH MAY)

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

THAT WAS THE BB WEEK THAT WAS #8 (W/C 11TH MAY)

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

3R Toolkit; Driving recovery in your place

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

THAT WAS THE BB WEEK THAT WAS #7 (W/C 4TH MAY)

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BIDs Advisory Board welcome Resilience Fund

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

THAT WAS THE BB WEEK THAT WAS #6 (W/C 27TH APRIL)

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs announces new research into the recovery of BIDs and urban centres in the ‘new normal’

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs Announces BIDs Resilience Fund

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Government lobbying for BID levy relief during COVID-19

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

THAT WAS THE BB WEEK THAT WAS #5 (W/C 20TH APRIL)

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

New measures to protect UK high street from aggressive rent collection and closure

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs expands Ballot Buddy portfolio

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Sidcup BID achieve British BIDs Accreditation

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Government Survey - your help needed by 22nd April

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

That Was The Bb Week That Was #4 (W/C 13th april)

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

April's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

COVID-19 - Job Retention Scheme Update

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

That Was The Bb Week That Was #3 (W/C 6th April)

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

That Was The Bb Week That Was #2 (W/C 30th March)

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs' Ballot Buddy helps secure a 'yes' vote for West Bromwich BID

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

The Coronavirus Act 2020 and what it means for BIDs

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

That Was The Bb Week That Was #1 (w/c 23rd March)

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID levy payments and COVID-19

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

New Q&A sessions announced

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Communications support for BIDs

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs Guidance - Q&A

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Business Improvement Districts and their Coronavirus Response

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

March's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Join our live Q&A session this Friday

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

COVID-19: An update for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs' response to the Chancellor's Budget

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs launches new Advisory Board

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Sunak urged to reform rates that ‘hammer’ local retailers

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

February's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs partners with Welsh Government

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Business Rates - a representation to the Chancellor for the 2020 Budget

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

New year, new Christmas

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

January's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Celebrate our 10th birthday with us

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs support Plymouth City Centre BID at renewal campaign launch

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

December's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

November's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Digital Lego Trail successful boost to the City Centre

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Can your BID assist school/college leavers in their area to obtain employment locally?

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

October's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

September's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

August's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

July's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

June's Insight from Professor Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs appointed to support West Bromwich BID for renewal ballot

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs appointed to support Sheffield BID with 2020 renewal ballot

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

May's Insight from Professor Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

April's Insight from Professor Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Debenhams Administration - Guidance for BIDs

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

March's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID Loan Fund Workshops with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee - New Policy Issues

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Celebrating 25 Years in Christmas Lighting - Gala Lights

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

February's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

InLinkUK - New to our Suppliers Portal

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - JANUARY

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - DECEMBER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Thank you to our British BIDs members

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - NOVEMBER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Autumn Budget 2018: Highlights for the BID industry

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - OCTOBER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government BID Loan Fund

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

British BIDs appointed to support South Bank BID with 2019 renewal ballot

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Faster broadband underpins UK BIDs - Openreach

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

National BIDs Conference by Ben Collins

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - SEPTEMBER

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Is slow broadband hindering your business and do you want to do something about it?

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - AUGUST

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Do Your BID’s Lights Need A Refresh?

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - JULY

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Applications for the 2018 Great British High Streets Awards are now open!

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Launch of the Second Grimsey review

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Launch of the Great British High Street Awards 2018

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - JUNE

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - MAY

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT INDUSTRY CELEBRATES 300 BIDS

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

Check out our photos from the Professional Development Day

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - APRIL

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

What you can discover on the new Bb website

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - MARCH

POSTED ON: 24/11/2020

SIGN UP

Sign up today to receive marketing and communications from British BIDs, in line with our privacy policy.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

An Introduction to BIDs

Whether you are developing a BID, working in a BID, a Board member, new to...

Read more

Next Session: 11th October 2023, 10:00 - 12:30

BIDs & Local Authorities; Developing & managing your Local Authority relationship

The relationship between a BID and its Local Authority is an important one. It is...

Read more

Next Session: 10th October 2023, 10:00 - 12:30

Investors In People Logo

33 Margaret Street, London, W1G 0JD

© Copyright BBIDS Limited (t/a British BIDs):
All material on this website, including documents, publications, text, data and images, is protected by copyright. You may not copy, reproduce, scrape, augment, post or transmit it in any way without permission of BBIDS Limited (trading as British BIDs), the copyright owner. Prior written consent of the copyright holder must be obtained for any use of material. No part of this site or sub-domains of this site may be distributed or copied for any commercial purpose.