Help & FAQs | Uniquely Local Gifts & Experiences

Buying a Uniquely Local Gift Voucher

Uniquely Local sells gift vouchers you can use for a range of brilliant experiences, gifts and kits from local Yorkshire businesses.

When you buy a voucher for yourself or someone else, they’ll receive either:

An e-voucher (PDF by email) or
A printed gift box voucher (sent by post) depending on the option you choose.

Each voucher comes with a code.

The recipient will have 6 months to activate their voucher and choose an experience, then another 6 months to book it with the provider.

You can either:

Buy a monetary voucher for a set amount or
Pick a specific experience you think they’ll love (the voucher will cover the cost). They’ll still be able to change their mind and pick something else when they activate their code.

FAQs About Buying A Gift Voucher

Got a question? You’re not alone! Take a look at our most frequently asked questions to see if you’re answer is here.

Can I buy an experience as a gift for someone else?

Yes, absolutely, you’ll be able to add their name as the recipient when you buy the voucher.

Can I have the voucher sent to me first?

Yes! You can add your own address when you order or choose an alternative delivery address at checkout.

Can I check availability before I buy?

Of course, email us at support@uniquelylocal.co.uk with the experience you’re interested in and your preferred dates. We can check availability for you.

Can I book an experience before paying?

Yes – just get in touch via support@uniquelylocal.co.uk and we’ll sort the booking and payment for you.

Will the recipient see the price of the voucher?

No we don’t print the price won’t be on the voucher, but when the recipient activates it, they’ll see the value.

I’ve made a mistake on my order – what should I do?

No worries! Just email us at support@uniquelylocal.co.uk with the changes and we’ll fix it for you.

How long will it take for my voucher to arrive?

We send Email vouchers fairly quickly, but we check all orders before emailing so it might take longer outside working hours (9am to 5pm – Mon to Fri).
We post our Gift boxes the same day (if the order is placed before 2pm) or the next working day if not.

Can I get a refund?

Yes, refunds are available within 30 days of purchase – as long as the experience hasn’t been booked, exchanged or extended.

My e-voucher hasn’t arrived – what do I do?

First, please check your spam or junk folder (voucher emails sometimes sneak in there).
If it’s not there, just email us at support@uniquelylocal.co.uk and we’ll resend it.

Tip: Add us to your safe senders list to avoid this happening in future!

My gift box hasn’t arrived – what now?

We send all gift boxes by Royal Mail First Class. It usually takes 1–2 days but it can be longer at busy times (like Christmas).
If your box hasn’t arrived and you need something to give in the meantime, email us and we’ll send you a PDF e-voucher to use.

Redeeming a Uniquely Local Gift Voucher

In May 2025, we updated our system to give our customers more flexibility.

If you received your voucher before May 2025:

Monetary vouchers (for a monetary amount not for an experience): You can follow the same new instructions as below. You’ll just need to create an account or log in, and activate your code to add the amount to your store credit.
Experience-specific vouchers: Your voucher should have all the booking info printed on it. Need help? If you email us and let us know the voucher code we can resend it and help you get booked in. If you wish to exchange an experience-specific voucher that was received before May 2025 you will need to email support@uniquelylocal.co.uk for us to facilitate the exchange.

If you received your voucher after May 2025:

Create an account or log in to your existing account.
Activate your gift voucher code. You can either add the amount to your credit balance or redeem it for the experience chosen for you.
Of you want something other than the experience chosen for you, choose a new experience. Select the experience that you’d like to try.
Click the “Use Gift Voucher” button on the experience listing page. If you’d prefer a kit just click on the “Add to Basket” button.
At checkout, you’ll see your store credit balance and can apply it towards your order.
Once your order has been confirmed you’ll get a link to download the booking information for your chosen experience with a new booking code to pass to the experience provider (or a confirmation of the subscription, gift or kit that you have ordered).

FAQs About Redeeming a Gift Voucher

What happens after I use my store credit to ‘buy’ an experience?

You’ll get a download link with booking details for your experience and a new code to send the experience provider. You’ll then have 6 months to make your booking and enjoy your experience.

I’m having trouble booking my experience with the experience provider – what should I do?

Most of our suppliers are small, independent businesses – they do everything themselves, from running the experiences to handling bookings.
Please be patient and give them a little time to get back to you.
If you’re struggling or not hearing back, just let us know – we’ll step in and help get you booked.

Do I need to do the experience before the voucher expiry date, or just book it?

You need to have booked and enjoyed your experience before the voucher expiry date.

Do I need to book my experience or can I just turn up on the day?

Yes – all experiences must be booked in advance using the booking information your experience voucher. Most of our experiences are extremely popular and must be booked well in advance of the expiry date. We always recommend booking as early as you can to get the date you want.

Tip: Don’t book any travel, accommodation or other plans until your experience date is confirmed.

I’ve booked a date with the experience provider – can I cancel or reschedule?

Once you’ve confirmed a booking with a provider, any changes will be down to their own terms and conditions.
If you need to make any changes, you’ll need to contact the provider directly as we don’t have access to their booking systems.

FAQs About Our Experiences

What makes Uniquely Local experiences different from other gift experience companies?

We handpick authentic Yorkshire experiences from local artisans and small businesses you won’t find on mainstream gift sites. Every experience is personally vetted by our founder Rachel Marshall and supports the local Yorkshire community. Unlike generic voucher companies, we focus on genuine, one-of-a-kind activities that tell the story of Yorkshire.

What types of experiences do you offer?

Our Yorkshire experiences include artisan workshops (pottery, woodworking, textiles), food and drink experiences (brewery tours, cooking classes, farm visits), outdoor adventures (guided walks, photography tours), wellness activities (yoga retreats, spa treatments), and creative workshops (art classes, craft sessions). All are run by passionate local experts.

Are your experiences suitable for beginners?

Absolutely! Most of our experiences are designed for all skill levels. Our local providers are experienced teachers who love sharing their craft with newcomers. We clearly indicate any experiences that require previous knowledge.

FAQs About Planning & Logistics

How far in advance should I book a Yorkshire experience?

We recommend booking about 6 weeks ahead for most experiences, though some popular workshops may need 8 to 10 weeks notice. Seasonal experiences (like foraging or outdoor activities) are best booked early in the season.

What areas of Yorkshire do you cover?

We feature experiences across Yorkshire including York, Leeds, Sheffield, Harrogate, the Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors, and coastal areas like Whitby and Scarborough. We’re constantly adding new locations and providers.

Are experiences available year-round?

Most of our indoor workshops and creative experiences run year-round. Outdoor and seasonal experiences vary by weather and provider schedules. Each experience page shows when the experiences run in the year.

FAQs About Gifting & Pricing

How do Uniquely Local prices compare to other gift experience companies?

Our prices reflect the authentic, small-batch nature of our experiences. While we may cost slightly more than mass-market vouchers, you’re paying for genuine local expertise, smaller group sizes, and supporting Yorkshire’s creative community. Most experiences range from £35-150 per person.

What’s the best experience gift for someone who has everything?

We specialise in truly unique experiences you can’t find elsewhere. Popular “surprise me” gifts include our mystery artisan workshops, behind-the-scenes food producer tours, or our seasonal foraging experiences. All create memories rather than more possessions.

Do you offer corporate team building experiences?

Yes! Many of our artisan workshops work brilliantly for team building. We can arrange group bookings and even bespoke experiences. Contact us at support@uniquelylocal.co.uk to discuss your requirements.

Still Need Help?

Please send us an email support@uniquelylocal.co.uk – we’re always happy to help!

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