22nd December 2015 Luton town centre businesses and shoppers have already enjoyed an extra-special Christmas, with over £2,000 worth of shopping vouchers and gift vouchers awarded by Luton Business Improvement District (BID)’s Christmas Cracker prize draw.
Neli Gogishulli and Claire Makepeace were the first two lucky winners, choosing to spend their £250 vouchers in New Look and Tesco respectively. In the same week, flight attendant Alessandra Catania won a free year’s admission to Luton’s Cineworld cinema.
One of the second week’s winners, Saliha Patel, had a baby girl just four weeks ago and said her £250 voucher couldn’t have come at a better time. “A couple of my friends knew about the Christmas Cracker draw and so I picked up a ticket in Boots – which is also where I’ve chosen to spend my voucher,” she said. “There are so many things to buy with a new baby – nappies, toiletries, things like that – so it’s just perfect to have won the Luton Christmas Cracker. I’m so happy!”
Sabina Islam also won £250 in week two, and being a huge Playstation 4 fan it was an easy choice to select GAME in which to spend her voucher. Lisa Taplin received a year’s membership for The Gym.
In week three, Sameem Riaz and Rachel Burns chose Next and Debenhams respectively for their £250 vouchers, and Mary McDonnell received a £200 gift card to spend in The Mall.
Finally, rounding off the Christmas Cracker last week, Michelle Smithers chose The Mall in which to spend her £250, and was looking forward to treating her young son, while Harriet Page selected Debenhams. The last lucky Christmas Cracker entrant, Leigh Hill, received a £100 Debenhams gift card.
The free prize draw Luton Christmas Cracker – is yours the winning ticket’ – was organised and funded by Luton Business Improvement District (BID) and ran for four weeks throughout November and December. It gave away eight prizes of a £250 voucher for a town centre destination of the winner’s choice, as well as a further four gift cards donated by local businesses.
Gavin O’Brien, Chair of the Luton BID Board, said: “The BID has been delighted with the response to this inaugural Luton Christmas Cracker prize draw. It was designed to entice yet more shoppers into Luton town centre and to highlight and promote our stunning array of businesses. We have had fabulous levels of interest and all the winners will spend their winnings right here in Luton town centre, bringing a festive bonus to many of our businesses. We’d also like to thank the businesses that kindly donated gift cards to our draw.”