A business savvy web designer is hoping to boost trade in the town by creating a new loyalty card.

Paul Keating, 49, and wife Katie, 36, will launch the Braintree scheme on September 1 for an annual fee of £5 per customer and £19.50 for businesses with a listing.

The couple hope the loyalty card will increase footfall by offering a ten per cent discount at participating retailers and other deals.

Mr Keating, a special inspector with Bedfordshire Police and owner of paul-keating.com, said: “My wife Katie came up with the idea years ago and when we moved last year we were looking at what was going on in town.

“We both said what could we do to encourage business in the town.

“The whole idea is that we have a loyalty card focused in one location, which is Braintree district.

“It will be set up with independent stores in mind who may not have the footfall they want.”

The couple, who have sons Harry, six, and Oliver, two, will trial the card in Braintree before possibly expanding to Witham and Halstead.

They are working out of their home in Keeble Way, but hope to have a shop front in the town which would also function as a business centre.

Mr Keating said: “I just want to put something positive on the town and if it works, which I’m sure it will, it will put Braintree on the map.

“I remember as a kid in Fulham walking around the markets and there was a buzz and an atmosphere – that’s what we want to recover.

“We have done some market research and out of 100 people I have spoken to all of them have said they would go for it.

“The card is open to everybody and anybody who comes into town is able to buy one.”

Visit braintreeloyaltycard.co.uk.