Launching the 2012 Mullingar Shopping Vouchers today were (from left) Lisa Cowell, senior stylist at Profile Hair Design, Oliver Plunkett Street and The Salon, Austin Friar Street; Berty Dunne, Annebrook House Hotel; Pat Whelan, president of Mullingar Chamber of Commerce; and June Masterson, senior

Mullingar Shopping Vouchers launched

FREE PARKINGThere is free parking for Christmas in Mullingar - on Friday December 14, Saturday 15, Friday 21 and Saturday 22 and Christmas Eve.• If everyone in Mullingar shopped locally, around 70 full time jobs would be generated.• More than €100,000 worth of Mullingar Chamber vouchers were issued in the run-up to Christmas in 2011.• There is one way to make sure that the gifts you give this year are spent locally - give a Mullingar Shopping Voucher from the Chamber of Commerce.MULLINGAR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE revealed that information today at the launch of the 2012 vouchers, which come in denominations of €10, €20 and €50 and are redeemable in hundreds of outlets in and around Mullingar.They are used like cash and can buy everything from petrol to meals, weekly shopping to clothes.Look for the bright pink Live Local, Shop Local posters in shop windows and save money by presenting a Gar discount voucher when shopping.The retailer will let you know what goods are covered using the Gar, which could on the Gargain shelf or rail! Or anywhere in the shop.Gars are available at the Chamber office, tourist information and the main hotels in the town.You could also purchase the Mullingar Discount Card which offers lots of savings throughout the many participating shops in town.Either way there are bargains to be had in Mullingar, and with the cost of fuel, it makes sense to stay and shop in your town and feel that you are a part of its continuing success.Mullingar Shopping Vouchers are available at the Chamber offices, Mullingar Credit Union and the Annebrook House Hotel.Mullingar Chamber of Commerce, 12 Mount Street (above Jasmine); 044 93 44044; mullingarchamber.ie.FREE PARKINGThere is free parking for Christmas in Mullingar - on Friday December 14, Saturday 15, Friday 21 and Saturday 22 and Christmas Eve.In addition the Westmeath County Council car park at Jail Hill will be open at weekends for shoppers (it has been in operation since last year and is only a short walk from the shops).The new two-hour period on street parking will be introduced and in place from December.