FEASIBILITY STUDY—SURVEY RESULTS SO FAR

1. Significant appeal for the Lewes Pound among residents, business owners, and visitors who responded:

• Between 69% and 75% agreed (slightly or strongly) the Lewes Pound is a good idea to support local businesses and other community causes.
• Respondents identified a clear set of challenges that the Lewes Pound is keen to address.

2. Using the Lewes Pound (more) depends on:

• Higher visibility and promotion of which businesses accept Lewes Pounds.
• More communication about how the Lewes Pound benefits residents and businesses, including incentives.
• Introducing an electronic / online Lewes Pound.
• Encouraging a wider variety of organisations to accept Lewes Pounds, including Lewes District Council for council tax and energy companies.

3. Contactless debit card and smartphone app payment options are the preferred way of paying electronically:

• Over 60% of resident and visitor respondents supported these.
• Over 70% of respondents aged between 17-40 preferred Smartphone payments.

Our early findings clearly indicate that a local debit card and a smartphone app are the preferred options for an electronic Lewes Pound. To be effective a Lewes Pound card requires a robust financial platform that is being implemented by the East Sussex Credit Union. We are now in a position to test a smartphone app.