A loyalty card scheme encouraging people to shop in north Shropshire and help trade is in the pipeline.

Organisers hope the scheme could be in operation by spring next year.

Members of the North Shropshire Economic Development Forum this week held discussions about bringing in the scheme, which would see people rewarded for buying from traders in Market Drayton, Whitchurch, Wem, Ellesmere, Oswestry and the surrounding villages.

Lincoln McMullan, appo- inted to the loyalty card committee, said businesses would pay to become members of the scheme and offer discounts to card users.

The cards would be available throughout north Shropshire, and the scheme would be supplemented with a magazine and a website allowing business members to advertise and further encourage local shopping.

Mr McMullan said: “The idea is to bring business back into the market towns, so that people will spend money in the local shops, and with the loyalty card they will all get a discount, to make that more attractive.

“We want to link the scheme with a free magazine which would be delivered door to door, in which members of the scheme would be entitled to discounted advertising.”

Mr McMullan said the scheme would be self-funding once established, but the forum would seek grant funding from large businesses and the district council to set the initiative up.