Loyal local shoppers rewarded

• Seascape staff Lourdes Quilapio and Hayley Wiggins with their new Ashgrove milk on tap offering.

By Daisy Baker
November 30, 2022

As we move into one of the largest retail trading seasons of the year, shoppers are being urged to support the region’s businesses as much as possible.

The annual Lucky Shopper campaign is offering up one of their biggest prize pools yet, worth $4,600 which will be shared between nine lucky winners.

In a time when many small businesses are feeling the pinch amidst the rising cost of living and overheads, choosing to spend your dollars locally has an invaluable impact.

Organiser Mary Partridge said the quality of retail available in the North-East is on par with other regions.

“And by supporting local businesses it means they can keep their staff and local people can have jobs,” she said.

“We’re rewarding the customer for being loyal and shopping locally. That’s the theory behind the whole thing.

“When you go through the prize pool there’s something for everyone, every style of business is covered.

“We have prizes from the butcher, the pub, through to shoes, clothing, automotive, fuel, eating out vouchers, farming and gifts from different businesses.”

Mrs Partridge said she has been running the campaign for more than 15 years, during which time she’s worked hard to build up the community engagement and the diversity of participating outlets.

“When I started I think if we got even $900 in prizes you would have been lucky,” she said.

“We’ve at least doubled maybe trebled the amount of business involved and extended it beyond King St.”

Bridport is included once again this year, along with newly added businesses in Branxholm and Derby.

Every time you shop at one of the 41 participating stores, you can enter for free via a paper form or QR code to go into the prize draw.

“As well as rewarding a customer, it’s hoping that someone new wins one of your prizes and checks out your shop,” Mrs Partridge said.

“At one of the new businesses involved this year, people have wanted to buy tickets and they couldn’t believe that something like that would happen for free.”

The Lucky Shopper promotion closes on December 16 and the prizes will be drawn on Monday December 19.