PEOPLE living and shopping in the Stroud district will be able to get an extra discount this autumn thanks to a new loyalty scheme.

Stroud District Council has announced plans to launch a new district-wide loyalty card, which residents will be able to use in local shops, cafes, restaurants, and with tradespeople.

The council is funding the project in an effort to encourage people to shop local.

Cllr Roger Sanders, executive member for regeneration for Stroud District Council, which is the first council in the country to roll out such a scheme across an entire district, said: "We hope this scheme will give businesses a boost in the current economic climate and continue to benefit them and their customers in the long term."

The scheme will be managed for the council by My Loyalty Card Ltd, which already runs similar schemes in several towns in the country including Swindon, Kettering and Northampton.

Its founder, Stuart Hopkins, said: "It’s great that Stroud District Council has chosen an option to cover the whole of its district, which means that all of its 112,000 residents and all of its businesses stand to benefit from the free card."

Participating business are mostly independents, but My Loyalty Card also has around 25 national brands offering discounts to their card holders including JD Wetherspoon, McDonald’s, Specsavers and F. Hinds.

Any businesses interested in the scheme should email admin@my-loyalty-card.com It is hoped that eventually the scheme will be extended to boost tourism and cards will be distributed at hotels and guest houses for visitors to use.