Oldcastle launches town voucher scheme for Christmas season

'Shop at home this Christmas and support local jobs’ is the message from Oldcastle Chamber of Commerce which launched a new shopping voucher scheme last week. Cllr Oliver Fox officially launched the Oldcastle Town Voucher Scheme for local businesses on Tuesday of last week. The scheme is designed to promote business locally and to encourage people to spend within the town. The vouchers, which make an ideal gift for Christmas, birthdays or any special occasion, can be bought in denominations of €5, €10 or €20 and can be spent in any of the local participating outlets. Retailers are eligible to participate in the scheme once they are members of the Chamber. Cllr Fox spoke of the challenging times facing local businesses at the moment and of the benefits such a scheme could bring to them. The Chamber pointed out that the vouchers are tax efficient for both employers and employees. An Oldcastle Town Voucher can be given each year tax free up to the value of €240 as a Christmas bonus for employees. The employer also saves PRSI on the gift. The gift vouchers are for sale from Oldcastle Credit Union and the post office in Oldcastle. They are available in an attractive presentation case with an additional nominal charge included to cover costs. The Chamber has expressed its gratitude to both the credit union and post office for the assistance they are providing in the process.