Shoppers in Saltaire will be rewarded for their loyalty from today with a discount card.

The Saltaire Loyalty Card offers discounts at 18 shops, cafes and restaurants across the World Heritage site.

The idea was suggested by traders and put in action by Bradford Council’s Saltaire Visitor Information Centre. It is the first time the Council has run such a scheme.

Participating retailers display a window sticker and have leaflets giving more information.

Saltaire Bookshop owner David Ford said: “This card gives visitors and locals alike the chance to benefit with discounts at many of Saltaire’s rich variety of eclectic and independent shops. They offer everything from basic foodstuffs to gifts, drinks to meals, electrical goods to hardware.

“There is no need for people to shop anywhere but Saltaire as there is everything people could want here. Almost all the shops in Saltaire are individually owned with all the variety that this offers. Get your card and enjoy what our village has to offer.”

The free card is available only from the visitor centre, in Salts Mill, Victoria Road.

Council visitor information manager Rachel Oxborough said the project would initially run until December.

“We’ve never tried it anywhere else. It’s a new thing, so really we’re just going to see how it goes,” she said.

“There’s the opportunity for traders to change their offers and for new traders to add offers throughout the year.

“A lot of people come to Saltaire and go to the Mill, so it’s looking at ways to encourage people to walk into the village. There’s so many nice independent shops and it’s to get people thinking about the whole village. It’s part of what we do to encourage people to go round the whole of the village to make the most of it.”