Readers to receive exclusive shopping discounts with passport scheme (From York Press)

Readers to receive exclusive shopping discounts with passport scheme

9:00am Monday 22nd March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

IT WON’T just be tourists who are clutching passports in York this month.

Readers of The Press are about to get exclusive access to a fabulous range of shopping discounts and in our March 24 edition, we will be giving away a unique Shopping Passport to launch Visit York’s Shop & The City Campaign.

Twenty-three stores will be participating in this major travel tourism and shopping campaign and completed passports will be entered into a draw to win an overnight stay and a dinner for two at York’s new five-star Cedar Court Grand Hotel, which opens in April, plus a month’s free car parking at an NCP car park.

Exciting discounts in the Passport range from 15 per cent off at L.K Bennett of London to 25 per cent off a luxury hand and nail pampering session at Nail Bar One.

Visit York’s shopping passport is just one part of a hard-hitting marketing and PR campaign, designed to boost York’s retail sector. An injection of £25,000 from City of York Council and sponsorship from the York Designer Outlet will help kick-start the new initiative to position York as the top shopping destination in the country.

Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of Visit York said: “This is an unmissable offer, designed to offer good value for customers and boost York’s retail economy.

“This is just the beginning of a campaign to bring more visitors from across Yorkshire and the North East region into York to shop. With the Shambles now officially the most picturesque street in Britain and Stonegate voted the second most fashionable, we’re confident the Shopping Passport will boost retail trade this summer.’

So make sure you don’t miss out; order your special copy of The Press or download a Shopping Passport online at thepress.co.uk/shopandthecity. The passport offer will run until September 30. Visit York is also producing a Shop & The City leaflet to promote four themed shopping trails – designer wear, antiques, unique gifts and a “male trail” – to follow the trails, visit shopandthecity.org or pick up a free leaflet from the York Visitor Information Centre in Exhibition Square.

A total of 60,000 leaflets will be distributed in the information centre and other centres across Yorkshire, hotels, B&Bs, attractions and shops across the region.

As well as offering a unique shopping experience in beautiful historic surroundings, York offers a diverse and vibrant mix of exclusive boutiques and independent retailers which sit alongside leading high street names.

Mrs Cruddas said: “The unique shopping experience, picturesque historic streets and the array of independent stores and boutiques which York is able to offer has led to it fast becoming many people’s second city when it comes to luxury weekend shopping breaks and staycations within the North of England. This passport is a must for style-conscious shoppers who can’t resist snapping up a bargain.”

To enter the prize draw, simply collect at least five stamps from participating retailers in the Shop & The City Passport, complete your contact details and post it to Visit York, 1 Museum Street, York, YO1 7DT. Closing date for entries is September 30.