By Kevin Ward, manager of Newport Now Business Improvement District

THE Newport Now Gift Card is proving a hit with shoppers and businesses alike.

The gift cards can only be spent at participating BID levy payers - with more than 80 businesses across the city centre now set up to accept the cards.

With the prime Christmas selling window still to come, the BID has so far sold cards worth more than £8,000. All that money can only be spent with BID levy payers.

To date, cards to the value of £3,000 have been spent at almost 40 city centre businesses with both independent and chains benefitting.

Cards are accepted at levy payers ranging from the Carpenters Arms pub on High Street to Debenhams in Friars Walk.

If you are a BID levy payer and you haven’t signed up to accept the gift card yet, just email kevin@kevinwardmedia.com and we will visit you to set you up.

It is a five-minute process and does not cost a penny.

A reminder that the BID has launched a homelessness fund for Newport city centre.

Street SupPORT is run in partnership with charities The Wallich and Eden Gate.

All money donated to the fund is used to support two Newport projects – a day centre run by The Wallich and Eden Gate’s night shelter.

You can donate to the fund via contactless points in the windows of Specsavers, HPJV Solicitors and Liverton Opticians. Just hold your contactless card or smartphone to the window to donate £3.

Alternatively, you can donate £3 by texting PORT24 to 70070 or online at www.thewallich.com/street-support

Did you know the BID offers shopfront improvement grants of up to £1,000 (inclusive of VAT) to Levy payers?

To find out more about how to apply for a grant, just email the BID manager Kevin Ward at kevin@kevinwardmedia.com or call 07824 472543.