Erne North councillor Diana Armstrong has urged people in Co Fermanagh to spend their £100 High Street Voucher locally after a difficult period for businesses.
The voucher card scheme is being brought forward by the Department for Economy and will see every adult in Northern Ireland given £100 to spend on their local high street.
Applications for the voucher scheme are due to open on Monday, September 27 and will close on Monday, October 25.
Cllr Armstrong said: “There’s been a lot of interest in this scheme and it has taken a lot of time to get off the ground.
“It enables people to go out and spend in their local shops and retailers, who we all know have been through an extremely difficult time over the past 18 months.
“In an interesting way, while it’s for retail, it frees up some income that will allow consumers to spend on other things that they maybe hadn’t the budget for previously.
“Businesses have been hit very, very hard. With lockdown, businesses had to learn how to adjust, adapt to the new trading circumstances.
“This has underlined the role of digital technology and the world we’re moving into that enables online shopping.”
Cllr Armstrong added what distinguishes high street traders from other businesses is the personal service they are able to provide.
She said: “What I think marks Irvinestown and all the other towns in the district is really exceptional, personal service.
“I think that’s what people feel. They feel safe going into local stores, they know the local traders and the traders know the customers.”
Economy Minister Gordon Lyons stated the first tranche of cards will issue to those who have successfully applied for the Spend Local pre-paid card on the week commencing October 4.
Applicants can apply for the voucher from September 27, through NI Direct online.
