The prize structure of the Wells Loyalty League has been changed to encourage more traders to join.

"Shops which sell low-price goods like greetings cards felt left out when winners had to spend all their £50 in one shop," said Philip Welch, editor of Mid Somerset News & Media, which sponsors the league.

"So from now the £50 winners get five vouchers, which add up to £50 so they can spend as little as £5 in one shop and spread their winnings across five different traders."

The league has two purposes:

1. To support local traders and ensure Wells retains a healthy shopping centre

2. To reward shoppers who use local traders

How it works

1. Traders pay a subscription of £40 a year, payable by cheque to Wells Loyalty League. This money is paid out in £50 prize draws each month.

2. The Wells Loyalty League is a non-profit-making organisation run by unpaid volunteers. If more money is collected from subscriptions than distributed in prizes, the excess will be used to add extra prizes at Christmas.

3. Shoppers have cards which are stamped by the trader for each £5 they spend in the shop or other business. When the shopper has filled the card with £100 worth of spending, the shopper returns the completed card to Mid Somerset News & Media, Southover, Wells BA5 1UH. There it is entered into a monthly prize draw by the editor who arranges a photograph and report for publication in the Wells Journal of the winner spending his or her prize in a league trader's premises.

4. Cards are provided free by the league to the traders and the prize-winners spend their money with the league traders of their choice using vouchers (one £20, two £10 and two £5) given to them by the editor. The vouchers are then returned to the league treasurer, Rodney Angel, who reimburses the traders for the prize money spent in their premises.

Traders who are members of the Wells Loyalty League as of October 1, 2010:

Cathedral City Travel

Beah

Rose

Protec

Griffiths

Studleys

CHOP

The Camping Shop

Thatchers

Charles Ashley

Microbitz

Southwest Schoolwear

BST

Ron Thompson Carpets

Sante

Whitings

Swan Stationers

Rock House Dental Practice

Richard Mansfield

Richards of Wells

Basil Powell

Queen Street Deli

Peter Douglas

Scribbles

Red Hot Chilli People

Unpackaged Travel Company

The House of Manning

Creative Carpets and Floors

Silver Studio

Millicans Opticians

Britelly 

The Olde Sweet Shoppe

D H James Ltd