In response to feedback presented by customer facing businesses on current cost of living pressures, the Department for Enterprise, supported by the Economic Strategy Board and Treasury, has announced two targeted initiatives to support local businesses, charities, local authorities and event organisers. These initiatives will help stimulate economic activity, generate footfall and bring our communities together across the Island’s towns and villages this winter.
The initiatives, delivered by Business Isle of Man, an Executive Agency of the Department for Enterprise, include:
1. The relaunch of the Domestic Event fund, that provides event organisers, charities, local authorities and hospitality businesses, with financial assistance of up to 80% of the total costs associated with the development of domestic focussed events. The Domestic Event Fund was first introduced in 2021 and generated footfall of more than 239,000. For more information visit http://www.businessisleofman.com/eventsfund
2. The re-introduction of two LoveIOM Gift Card incentives that can be redeemed at more than 55 hospitality businesses across the Island.
A bonus credit of 25% to a maximum of £10.00 will be automatically added to cards purchased from 22nd November to 24th December 2022.
From 23rd January to 31st March 2023 any spend on the LoveIOM Gift cards during weekdays (Monday-Thursday) will earn a 25% credit back (up to £50 on a spend of £200) the next day.
For more information visit www.loveiom.com.
The above initiatives will be complemented by a ‘Love Manx Christmas List’ informational message to make residents aware of the many retail gifting options available in the Isle of Man. A dedicated page (facebook.com/lovemanx.im) has been set-up which features local businesses, Christmas markets and gifting ideas.
Lawrie Hooper MHK, Minister for Enterprise, commented
‘We recognise that our customer facing businesses play a major role in generating employment and creating vibrant communities. Feedback received from the industry with regards to energy, staffing and input costs, has indicated that this winter will be another challenging time for our residents and businesses alike. We want to create initiatives that will have a far reaching effect on supporting and incentivising local spending.
‘The Domestic Event Fund aims to stimulate local spending by driving footfall into the Island’s towns and villages by providing financial support and underwriting to reduce the risk associated with running these types of events, in the current climate, for event organisers. Event organisers planning new or existing events with new elements, before or after Christmas are encouraged to apply for support through the Domestic Event Fund.
‘The LoveIOM gift card plays an essential role in keeping gifting spend within our economy versus being re-directed off-Island in the form of online market place vouchers. Following the success of the previous LoveIOM Top-up Incentive Campaign which generated over £40,000 of funds last Christmas, the card is seen as a win-win for both residents and businesses with the latter benefiting from a boost in patron numbers in slower trading months post-Christmas period.’
Since the Domestic Event Fund was first introduced in 2020, it has supported a diverse range of events across all corners of the Island, providing over £390,000 of funding to local businesses and authorities and stimulating a total recorded footfall of over 239,000 across 130 events.
Mike Wade, Co-owner of The Black Dog Pizza Oven whom organised recent events including The Dog's Nollick #2 and The Moddey ‘Do’, commented:
‘We're extremely thankful for the support of the Domestic Event Fund in helping us to host a successful series of Christmas and Halloween pop-up events last year. Feedback received from local businesses within the area was also positive as some witnessed a noticeable increase in trade as a result of these events’.
The LoveIOM gift card was launched last year to give Island residents and corporate businesses an option to purchase a gift card that would benefit local hospitality businesses, helping to circulate gifting spend through the festive period and support hospitality businesses through the quieter trading periods after Christmas. Jamie Lewis, owner of Kiki Lounge, who has been signed up to the LoveIOM Gift Card Scheme since the beginning, commented:
‘We’ve been accepting LoveIOM gift cards since the beginning of the scheme. It’s great to be a part of a community focussed initiative that helps keep the corporate Christmas spend in the local pocket, rather than that money going off Island to big businesses such as Amazon.’
Hospitality and Accommodation businesses not yet part of the scheme can sign-up online, in a few simple steps; visit loveiom.com/merchants for details.
Sep 25, 2023
Sep 15, 2023
Sep 6, 2023
Aug 18, 2023
Aug 10, 2023
Jul 24, 2023
Jul 14, 2023
Jul 6, 2023
Jul 6, 2023
Jun 29, 2023
Jun 14, 2023
Jun 8, 2023
May 22, 2023
May 15, 2023
Apr 4, 2023
Mar 8, 2023
Feb 9, 2023
Jan 4, 2023
Jan 3, 2023
Dec 22, 2022
Dec 2, 2022
Nov 22, 2022
Nov 22, 2022
Nov 21, 2022
Nov 4, 2022
Oct 27, 2022
Oct 5, 2022
Oct 5, 2022
Sep 30, 2022
Sep 29, 2022
Sep 29, 2022
Sep 29, 2022
Sep 27, 2022
Sep 27, 2022
Sep 26, 2022
Sep 26, 2022
Sep 26, 2022
Sep 26, 2022
Sep 26, 2022
Sep 26, 2022
Sep 26, 2022
Sep 23, 2022
Sep 8, 2022
Sep 8, 2022
Sep 5, 2022
Aug 26, 2022
Aug 26, 2022
Aug 26, 2022
Aug 24, 2022
Aug 23, 2022
Aug 19, 2022
Aug 17, 2022
Aug 6, 2022
Aug 5, 2022
Aug 2, 2022
Jul 28, 2022
Jul 26, 2022
Jul 26, 2022
Jul 21, 2022
Jul 19, 2022
Jul 19, 2022
Jul 11, 2022
Jun 28, 2022
Jun 13, 2022
May 23, 2022
May 18, 2022
May 13, 2022
May 11, 2022
May 10, 2022
May 9, 2022
Apr 27, 2022
Apr 1, 2022
Mar 17, 2022
Mar 17, 2022
Mar 8, 2022
Mar 1, 2022
Feb 22, 2022
Feb 7, 2022
Jan 28, 2022
Jan 14, 2022
Jan 12, 2022
Jan 5, 2022
Dec 6, 2021
Dec 6, 2021
Nov 25, 2021
Oct 26, 2021
Sep 17, 2021
Jul 23, 2021
Jul 22, 2021
Jul 22, 2021
Jul 19, 2021
Jul 6, 2021
Jun 30, 2021
Jun 25, 2021
Jun 24, 2021
Jun 10, 2021
Jun 7, 2021
Jun 1, 2021
May 24, 2021
May 22, 2021
May 13, 2021
May 13, 2021
May 6, 2021
Apr 23, 2021
Apr 20, 2021
Apr 16, 2021
Apr 12, 2021
Mar 31, 2021
Mar 22, 2021
Mar 9, 2021
Mar 8, 2021
Feb 10, 2021
Jan 27, 2021
Jan 21, 2021
Dec 8, 2020
Oct 20, 2020
Aug 14, 2020
Aug 10, 2020
Aug 6, 2020
Aug 6, 2020
Mar 27, 2020
Mar 17, 2020
Mar 16, 2020
Jan 31, 2020
Jan 20, 2020
Dec 17, 2019
Dec 6, 2019
Nov 22, 2019
Oct 11, 2019
Oct 9, 2019
Sep 17, 2019
Sep 9, 2019
Sep 5, 2019
Aug 7, 2019
Jun 14, 2019
Feb 27, 2019
Feb 21, 2019
Feb 20, 2019
Feb 6, 2019
Feb 5, 2019
Feb 4, 2019
Jan 31, 2019
Jan 9, 2019
Jan 2, 2019
Dec 28, 2018
Dec 21, 2018
Dec 21, 2018
Dec 21, 2018
Dec 13, 2018
Dec 10, 2018
Nov 29, 2018
Nov 15, 2018
Nov 13, 2018
Nov 5, 2018
Nov 5, 2018
Nov 5, 2018
Oct 24, 2018