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14 Oct 2024

‘Love Local’ with new gift card partnership

Written by Devan LaBrash
Three employees of the Trust stand in the shop at Newhailes holding a large NTS logo and a large Scotland Loves Local gift card.
Newhailes is one of 47 Trust places now accepting the Scotland Loves Local gift card.
Encouraging local exploring and local spending is behind a new partnership between the Trust and the Scotland Loves Local gift card.

We now accept one of the 19 regional Scotland Loves Local gift cards at 47 of our places across Scotland. The gift cards are accepted in our on-site gift shops, supporting many of the local and independent suppliers we work with. They can also be used for admission to our properties and in our cafés.

Places include Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, Craigievar Castle in Aberdeenshire, Falkland Palace & Garden in Fife, the Tenement House in Glasgow, Brodie Castle in Moray, Branklyn Garden in Perth, and Preston Mill in East Lothian.

This partnership further enhances the tourism credentials of the Scotland Loves Local gift card, both for encouraging exploration of local areas and driving tourism across the country. Leisure attractions, accommodation, food & drink and shopping are four of the sectors supported by the card.

The partnership also assists our vital conservation work as a charity, with sales at our properties supporting the protection of Scotland’s nature, heritage and beauty for everyone.

Interior of shop with lots of different products on shelves lining the walls, and a display of mugs in the foreground along with boxes of lego of the Hill House.
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“Partnering with Scotland Loves Local is an excellent opportunity for us to inspire an even greater connection with our local communities, encouraging them to visit our amazing places and support the Trust’s vital conservation work.”
Andrew Roberts
Head of Retail, National Trust for Scotland

Andrew continued: ‘It also helps to promote our places as shopping destinations. Our ambition is to provide the best gift shops selling Scottish and sustainable products. We seek out the most creative and talented local makers and suppliers to create an inspirational product range that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else – including unique products made in Scotland exclusively for us.’

The Scotland Loves Local gift card was introduced in 2021, delivered by Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) working alongside the Perth-based company Miconex. Each card can only be spent in the region with which it is branded, locking spend into local communities.

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“It’s fantastic to have the National Trust for Scotland on board with the Scotland Loves Local gift card programme. We are lucky to have a wide offering of places to visit across Scotland, and tourism plays a critical role in local communities. This is an important step forward in locking in spend and encouraging people to explore what’s on offer in their local area, whilst offering gift card users a greater choice on where to spend.”
Kimberley Guthrie
Chief Officer, Scotland’s Towns Partnership
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“A Scotland Loves Local gift card is the starting point for a journey of local exploration, including places to visit, eat, shop and stay. 47 National Trust for Scotland places joining 19 of the regional cards marks an important step in the development of the initiative to not only drive tourism across the country but also to further our mission of offering ultimate local choice.”
Colin Munro
Managing Director, Miconex
A well-stocked retail area inside a visitor centre. Shelving units hold woollen throws, cuddly toys, skincare, homeware and candles.

Over £15 million has been spent through the Scotland Loves Local gift cards to date, with over 7,000 Scottish local businesses part of the initiative. The cards are purchased both by consumers and by organisations for staff rewards and incentives.

Find out more about the Scotland Loves Local gift cards

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