Dickson Welcomes Long-Awaited Announcement on the High Street Voucher Scheme

East Antrim Alliance MLA, Stewart Dickson, has welcomed the overdue confirmation of the dates for the High Street voucher scheme.

Mr Dickson said: “I am pleased to see the vouchers will finally be rolled out from October 4, but am disappointed to see that the telephone service will not be available until October 11.

“There is no doubt that the initiative will give a significant boost to the NI economy, especially in sectors that have been hit particularly hard by coronavirus restrictions. However, it is a pity that an already tight application window will be narrowed even further for those without online access”.

Mr Dickson continued: “As ever, Northern Ireland has so much to offer, and this is a real opportunity for consumers to get out there, spend these pre-paid cards, and help local businesspeople in the process.

“I would encourage all those eligible to apply for the voucher scheme to do so before October 25, and to remember that there is a reasonably short window in which these vouchers will be valid as the scheme comes to an end on November 30. Make sure you don’t miss out”.

Mr Dickson concluded by saying: “Hopefully the scheme’s delay is not indicative of gremlins in the system leading to application issues or further delays for consumers. However, my colleagues and I will be on stand-by for support and advice following the launch in case any issues do indeed arise”.