Call for Local Businesses to Get on Board with an Outdoor Dining Gift Card

Hepburn Shire Council is inviting all local businesses who provide an outdoor dining experience to participate in a once-off initiative aimed at encouraging locals and visitors to make a $50 purchase at their business.

Council has partnered with Daylesford Macedon Tourism to provide a Gift Card Competition to encourage outdoor dining in businesses across the Shire. This program is a COVID-19 recovery initiative with funding support provided by the Victorian State Government. It has been designed to support local dining businesses who have been hit hard by recent lockdowns.

Eight hundred $50 gift cards will be given away to be spent in Hepburn Shire dining businesses. A further two hundred will be divided among eligible local participating businesses to promote or market their own business (for example through competitions or raffles) or to spend at another participating business.

Mayor, Cr Lesley Hewitt, said that the gift card program provides much needed support to local dining businesses across the Shire including restaurants, cafes and takeaways. “These gift cards support our local economy as they can only be used in a participating business. The competition also promotes and attracts visitors to the region, who in turn will visit and spend money in other businesses across the Shire,” said Cr Lesley Hewitt.

The program targets existing businesses whose primary source of income is by providing a dining experience. The competition will be facilitated by Daylesford Macedon Tourism and will be promoted in their Spring magazine, on social media and their website.

Participating businesses will receive marketing exposure by being listed on the Daylesford Macedon Life competition website landing page for entrants. To participate businesses will need to complete an EOI, be an eligible business and agree to the Terms and Conditions (available on Council’s website).

Expressions of Interest can be made online. Visit https://www.hepburn.vic.gov.au/expression-of-interest-wine-and-dine-gift-cards/. EOIs close on Wednesday 18 August 2021 at 5pm.