A GROUND-breaking loyalty card introduced to encourage trade in Otley has been axed.

The town's Chamber of Trade and Commerce has decided to concentrate on promoting businesses through a shopping guide rather than offering discounts.

Otley's loyalty card was launched in a blaze of publicity in September 1996 following fears that trade was dying in the town centre.

National media picked up on the revolutionary scheme which offered card holders special discounts to keep their custom.

Now the figures behind the Loyal to Otley scheme have agreed the card has run its course.

Peter Heald, chamber treasurer, said: "The loyalty card scheme did not have a lot of mileage left because it is dominated by the supermarkets.

"It ran its course along with most small schemes. It was fairly shortlived and we should perhaps have realised that at the time it got going."

It had, however, attracted considerable interest from other towns in its early stages. Traders in Pudsey sought advice from chamber members to find out how the card had helped Otley.

However, fears were voiced over the future of the scheme last November when the chamber launched its Christmas shopping guide.

Some businesses discovered that people were signing up during visits to the town and were not the regular shoppers they were trying to attract.

And participating members often found that people expected the same discounts across the board, while many supported the scheme through sponsorship rather than giving incentives.

But Mr Heald said the spirit of Loyal to Otley was still alive and kicking among traders. A questionnaire seeking support for continued leaflets about the town had received a good response, he said.

"Most of the replies we have got so far are very supportive of another leaflet. Co-operative advertising seems to be something that is still attractive," he said.

Mr Heald said he hoped the early signs meant the Loyal to Otley leaflet would continue to be a success. "The leaflet promotes the shops which is what the loyalty card aimed to do.

"When we have all the questionnaires back we will look and see what people want to do for the best."

Trader and chamber member Trevor Backhouse said he was keen to see some form of promotion continue.

Mr Backhouse, who owns Patisserie Viennoise, in Westgate, said the loyalty card had initially been a good move. "As a trader, while it was working, it was encouraging for businesses, but you only got out what you put in.

"It would only really work if the whole town participated because otherwise it was not really loyal to Otley.

"The last leaflet, which included the map, was a good guide for the town. I felt the efforts put into that from the people involved was a real credit to them."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.