A PIONEERING loyalty card scheme will bring power cuts for Blackpool residents.

For local people spending in town centre shops will earn discounts on their power bills, telephone and even council tax.

The scheme, to be called Centre Point and launched on November 2, will be the first of its kind in the country.

Though most supermarket chains now offer loyalty cards, this is believed the first time a group of businesses have got together to boost trade in a town centre.

It is all thanks to the Blackpool Town Centre Forum - a consortium of businesses and Blackpool Council - and Hesketh Information Technology, which operates loyalty card systems throughout the UK.

Seventy organisations have already joined the programme, which will offer between one and 20 points for every £1 spent.

Those who do not pay domestic bills will be able to exchange their points for gift vouchers.

Hesketh operations director Barry Sharples said: "In many parts of Britain, town and city centres are in decline.

"The development of big out-of-town retail parks has led to the closure of thousands of small and medium shops in centres which used to be focal points in community life.

"Centre Point will help to reverse this trend."

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