How a Simple Card Has Pumped £140,000 Into Camborne Shops

Four years, 70,000 transactions, and a stack of monthly prize draws later, Camborne’s loyalty card scheme has quietly funnelled an estimated £140,000 back into the town’s economy.

The figures come from BID Camborne, which launched the card in April 2022 to encourage people to spend in the town centre rather than further afield. Alongside the £140,000 spend, the team has also handed out £11,000 in monthly gift voucher prizes, money that goes straight back to local businesses.

📷Savannah Howells and Tom Savill at Minidu

How the card works

Shoppers collect a stamp every time they spend at least £2 at a participating business. Once a card is filled with ten stamps, it is entered into a monthly prize draw with three winners taking home £100, £75 and £50 in vouchers. There is no cap on the number of cards a person can enter, and over the four years the team has recorded 5,000 competition entries.

📷Kerry Whiting at Creations of Decorations

Business owners say it is working

Chantelle Roberts, BID Camborne’s social media manager and project support officer, said feedback from the town centre has been positive.

“I’ve spoken to business owners across the town centre this week and all of them agree it’s working very well,” she said.

Among the newer shops signed up to the scheme are Minidu and Glitter Bug, both on Trelowarren Street.

Minidu, run by Savannah Howells, sells hippi style kids’ clothing, cushions, jewellery and cards. Glitter Bug, run by Tamsyn Matthews, is a gift shop offering handmade crafts, glitter glasses and personalised items.

Chantelle explained that Tamsyn had originally traded from a unit at Trevithick market before making the move to the high street, while Savannah’s mum runs Xanadu, the shop next door to Minidu.

“Both owners have experience of Camborne trading and were very keen to become part of the card’s shopping network,” she said.

Other participating businesses include CocoBean Cornwall, run by Bev Fitzgerald-Bevington, which serves authentic African and Caribbean food to sit in or take away, and Creations of Decorations, run by Kerry Whiting, which sells and hires personalised balloons and party supplies.

📷Bev Fitzgerald-Bevington at CocoBean Cornwall

A boost for the local economy

Anna Pascoe, BID Camborne manager, said the numbers speak for themselves.

“We launched the loyalty card in April 2022 and, as our figures show, it’s successfully boosting the local economy,” she said.

“The Camborne community is warm, welcoming and mutually supportive and, with this card, there is even more of an incentive for people to shop local.”

Cards are available from any participating business in the town. More information is available at cambornetown.com or via @cambornetown on Facebook and Instagram.

📷Tamsyn Matthews at Glitter Bug