A SCHEME to help encourage people to shop in Ludlow is proving a success.

The loyalty card scheme is one of a number of initiatives intended to help encourage people from the town to spend their money with the town’s independent shops.

There is another winner of a hamper of some of the best that Ludlow’s independent shops have on offer.

The ‘Only in Ludlow’ Loyalty Card Spring draw took and the winner was Angela Clare of Temeside, picked from around 400 completed cards.

Second prize went to Dermot Dempsey and third to Pat Lumsdon. They all receive hampers made up of donations from all of the shops involved.

The loyalty card scheme is growing with the Christmas draw attracted over 300 completed cards and this latest one with 400, which is great for what is considered the quieter trading months of the year.

Loyalty cards are collected in every quarter, then drawn and the first, second, third prize winners are presented with a hamper. The next one will be drawn in June.

“It just goes to show that although small independent traders are facing great threats with business rates and out of town supermarket, they are being supported by very loyal local people who still buy their meat and bread and other items from them on a regular basis,” said Muff Murfin, chairman of Ludlow Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

“The chamber are delighted with the success of the scheme, which has become part of everyday shopping in Ludlow.”

Organised by the Ludlow Chamber of Trade, the scheme is free to all members of the chamber and is now open to other types businesses in the town including service industries.

Ludlow town centre traders are feeling increasingly under threat and have been working with the chamber of commerce on a number of scheme to boost business.

The chamber of trade is behind a programme of Tuesday markets that take place in December in the run up to Christmas. Supported by Ludlow Town Council this takes place on the three Tuesdays before Christmas.

Other ideas that have been considered in the past have included the introduction of a ‘Ludlow pound’ that could be spent in local shops but this was not taken forward.

There are regular local produce markets that help to bring more people into the town on two Thursdays each month.

But Ludlow traders on feeling under threat from a number of different challenges.

In addition to the challenge of the internet, the chamber of trade and ‘Love Ludlow’ campaign have had the disappointment of failing to stop the approval of a plan for a new supermarket and petrol station on the outskirts of town at Rocks Green.

Some shops in Ludlow town centre are also facing a big increase in business rates.

Tish Dockerty, secretary of Ludlow Chamber of Trade, has said that some shops in the town centre are operating on very small margins and struggling to make ends meet.

To apply to join the hamper scheme, shop owners should email chamber secretary Tish Dockerty tish@ludlowchamber.co.uk and the names will be printed on the new leaflet and added to the website www.onlyinludlow.org.uk.

Shops and businesses that have recently joined are Eclectica, Local to Ludlow HQ and mfg Solicitors.