“It has really helped us as a business in getting our name out there, bringing in new revenue and helping us to keep going in these challenging times”

The Scotland Loves Local East Renfrewshire Gift Card can be spent with over 170 businesses across the region. East Renfrewshire Council distributed over 4500 £100 East Renfrewshire Gift Cards to low income households in November 2022, and a popular place for people to spend their cards was The Pad in Neilston. Co-owner Lindsey said:

“Linda and I opened The Pad, which is a wee café/bistro, in July 2016. We both have a background in hospitality, and the chance to open our own restaurant serving fresh food using local ingredients was really exciting. The Pad is open all day serving hot filled rolls, homemade cakes and desserts plus we’re open evenings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Because The Pad can seat up to 40, people also rent out the space for private parties.

“We joined the East Renfrewshire Gift Card after receiving an email about the program. We liked the fact that it was free for us to sign up to accept the card, and as the card is a pre-paid Mastercard, any spend through the card comes to us automatically like any other payment. There’s no need for us to claim it back, or do anything other than accept it as a payment method.

“When the gift card was distributed by East Renfrewshire Council, they started being used at The Pad quite quickly. It was mainly older people who used their cards with us, spending a little on a coffee or a cake. I liked the fact that the cards were giving something back to the community by offering tangible support for residents and for businesses.

“A lot of people have cut back on their spending during the cost of living crisis, especially on eating out because it is considered a treat. The distribution of the card meant that people were able to continue to use businesses like ours and gave them a chance to socialise too.

“Recipients of the East Renfrewshire Gift Card could check the balance of the card using the QR code on the back. If any customers asked about checking the balance, we showed them how to do it. They seemed really happy to have the cards. It was a real bonus, especially the fact that they didn’t have to go far to spend the cards, there were lots of businesses right on their doorstep.

“We’ve definitely had new customers into The Pad as a result of the gift card distribution, and many have continued to come in too. It has really helped us as a business in getting our name out there, bringing in new revenue and helping us to keep going in these challenging times. It’s fantastic having a regular, loyal clientele but attracting new customers is very important because it helps your business to grow.”