Four lucky shoppers scoop £500 each in Golden Ticket giveaway

Christmas has come early for four Northampton shoppers who have each won £500 in a ‘Golden Ticket’ giveaway.

The competition, organised by Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) saw thousands of shoppers enter by collecting entry forms from retailers and posting them into dedicated post boxes around the town.

A prize draw carried out at Royal & Derngate by Jack and the Beanstalk panto star Keala Settle then saw four lucky winners each receive £500 in vouchers to spend with national and independent retailers in Northampton town centre.

Richard Langley, aged 51 from Rectory Farm said he will be buying his wife a watch from Michael Jones Jewellers and updating the family’s wardrobe in Primark while Duston-based Paul Shaw, aged 58 will also be buying jewellery for Christmas presents in Saint Gyles Jewellers and tucking into a festive cheeseboard from St Giles Cheese.

Olivia Brookes, aged 26, only moved to Northampton from Wales earlier this year and will be celebrating her first Christmas in her new home with books from Waterstones, clothes and collectibles from Vintage Guru and a new haircut from Daniel Granger.

She said: “I couldn’t believe it when I won. I was literally crying and bouncing around the office. It has absolutely made my Christmas. Everyone has made me feel so welcome since I moved here and I love living in Northampton.”

Alwyn Rutherford, aged 69 from Northampton will also be splitting her vouchers across Argos, Iceland and a range of independent businesses including St Giles Cheese, St Gyles Jewellers, Shine hairdressers, Abraxas and Voni Blu.

The Golden Ticket campaign ran throughout the BID’s Christmas campaign, encouraging people to ‘shop local and shop early’ this festive season to support Northampton businesses, with the added incentive of a prize to spend in town centre shops and businesses of their choice.

BID Operations Manager Mark Mullen said: “It’s been fantastic to see so many shoppers out and about in Northampton this Christmas, supporting our retailers and really embracing everything that makes the town so special.

“The Golden Ticket giveaway has generated a real buzz and seeing the shock and delight on people’s faces when they win has been brilliant. It’s made a big difference to four lucky families this Christmas and will provide some welcome extra income for businesses too.”

As part of the BID’s ongoing Christmas campaign, Santa’s Grotto will be in place in Grosvenor Shopping Northampton until Thursday, December 22. Visits are available priced just £1 per family, with all proceeds going to the Mayor’s charities. For more details visit www.northamptonbid.co.uk.