Mullingar vouchers go high tech with new gift cards
Mullingar Chamber’s paper gift vouchers will be upgraded to the Mullingar Gift Card in the spring, enhancing the ease of use and boosting ‘shop local’. All types of customer facing businesses in Mullingar are eligible to accept the card.
Plans have been unveiled for a new gift card for Mullingar to replace their popular gift vouchers. In circulation since 2012, more than €2.5 million of Mullingar Gift Vouchers have been sold to date, and some €500,000 of the paper vouchers were sold in 2024 alone.
Led by Mullingar Chamber, a wide variety of Mullingar businesses are eligible to accept the card including shops, restaurants, pubs, attractions, salons and hotels. Businesses who are part of the Chamber can accept the card commission-free.
The new Mullingar Gift Card will be available as a physical or a digital gift card. It will work with merchants’ existing payment terminals (no additional equipment required).
Mullingar Chamber says the move to the high-tech gift card offers a number of improvements for local businesses, customers and organisations.
James Bourke, president of Mullingar Chamber, said: “The paper gift vouchers have been successful for our economy, at €2.5 million in sales to date. Every euro spent locally is worth €4 to the local economy, so that €2.5 million has benefited our economy to the tune of €10 million.
“Of course, there are the usual drawbacks of paper vouchers, such as people not being able to get change from their paper vouchers and the administration involved for businesses in getting paid.
“Our Mullingar Gift Card will be easy for customers and organisations to use as gifts, and businesses to accept, making the initiative even more appealing and helping us develop our strong ‘shop local’ ethos in Mullingar further.
“People want to see the businesses they love open and busy, and our new gift card is essential to helping Mullingar to thrive.
“We encourage all retail, hospitality, and service providers to register to accept the new gift card prior to its launch so they can benefit from the footfall and spend the initiative will bring.”
The Mullingar Gift Card will be part of the multi-award-winning Town and City Gift Card concept active in Ballinrobe, Carndonagh, Cavan, Donegal Town, Drogheda, Kilkenny, Letterkenny, Limerick, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford and County Wexford.
Colin Munro, managing director of Miconex, said: “Merchants can register to accept the Mullingar Gift Card with a simple one-time registration. We’ve supported a number of towns and cities in Ireland making the move from paper vouchers to high-tech gift cards and the feedback from merchants, consumers and organisations is positive, all appreciating the ease of use, support for local and choice.”
Businesses looking for further information can email: Lauren at office@mullingarchamber.ie.