Tony’s Diary: The Blue Light Card and its 10% discount

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Laithwaite's Wine

“What are you doing to help”? Is a question we are getting asked a lot recently. In the first weeks of the panic I suggested all sorts of daft things that might help, which my very wise management team politely turned down. They were right. I see now that floods of wine arriving at hospitals might not have won universal acclaim. (Though doctors always were our biggest category of customers. In the days when we were allowed to know such things). And maybe putting hand sanitiser in with the wine bottles could have caused confusion… and damage to the unwary. You mock, but my dear wife actually did order a bottle of some powerful hand cleanser from the Czech Republic. The label of mountains and flowers was all in baffling Czech, and I do get occasional bottles of interesting digestif spirits from my Czech in-laws. Only one way to find out…. I won’t be trying it ever again.

When the initial panic subsided and we could think straight again, some bright spark suggested we should now accept the Blue Light Card and give a nice discount to some very worthy people.

Workers who qualify for a Blue Light Card include all those employed by the NHS, police, fire service, ambulance, HM Coastguard, RNLI and anyone in the Armed Forces. Our discount for those who qualify is 10% off all qualifying online purchases – including some wines and cases already discounted – as well as shop click and collect orders. (Our shops are shut but they will put online orders in your car boot if you stop and toot.)

This discount will apply for the foreseeable future. (Anyone able to see into the future… give us a call.) We are also giving that discount to those you might meet who drive the vans of Parcelforce and Yodel and bring you your wine.

I wouldn’t want anyone to think it’s only now that we started being nice to people. We’ve always actually enjoyed helping those less fortunate than us. But we were always taught to do it quietly. Today it’s different. There are so many who deserve not help, but grateful thanks and the Blue Light Card seems to us to be the best way for us to do our bit.

Tony Laithwaite

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We’re wine nuts, not wine snobs. We’ve been exploring the world on a mission to find great wine for the last 50 years. If you love adventure as much as we do, you belong with us. We know our winegrowers like family – and in some cases they actually are. Expect to hear from these legends of the soil, see behind the scenes access into vineyards and wineries and get news on fresh finds from our travels on this page. Drink responsibly. Visit drinkaware.co.uk for further health information. You must be aged 18 or over to follow.

92 thoughts on “Tony’s Diary: The Blue Light Card and its 10% discount”

Alison Johnston on April 27, 2020 at 5:02 pm said:

I’d like to order a mixed case of bargain wines. Please quote me a price. Is postage included?
- Laithwaite's Wine on May 5, 2020 at 2:43 pm said:
  
  Hi Alison,
  
  One of our friendly and knowledgeable wine advisors will be able to give you a quote on a mixed case of bargain wines. You can reach them via phone or email.
  
  Call: 03330 148 152
  Email: callmeback@laithwaites.co.uk
  
  Please let us know if there is anything else we can assist you with.
- Catherine Wright on August 1, 2020 at 5:22 am said:
  
  Is this Blue Light Card discount still valid, only the vault and the BLC Website don’t have anything for Laithwaites any more?
  - Laithwaite's Wine on August 5, 2020 at 2:40 pm said:
    
    Hello,
    
    Yes we are still running our Blue Light Card promotion however the discount has now reduced to 10%. I hope this helps. Do let us know if there is anything further we can help you with.
    
    Best wishes
    Emily
    - Ian on February 26, 2021 at 4:49 pm said:
      
      Is there any chance of extending your Blue light promotion to include teachers, who, after months of online lessons, could probably do with a nice bottle to savour at the end of a week. Morrisons have seen fit to help out, I hope you would consider following their lead.
      Many thanks
      - Laithwaite's Wine on March 2, 2021 at 11:53 am said:
        
        Hi Ian – Thank you for the feedback. We will pass this onto the team to look into. Thanks.
Andrew Baker on April 27, 2020 at 6:20 pm said:

Does this discount also apply to members of the Defence Duscount Service (DDS)?
I have logged onto the DDS website and can see Laithwautes offering a 29% discount to members, but no voucher code is available and the T’s&C’s state that the discount is only available in-store – so cannot be used!
Sue Hamblin on April 27, 2020 at 7:08 pm said:

That, is just Great to hear.

When I last spoke with you, you mentioned your disappointment that Doctors were encouraging us all to drink less.

However, I can assure you that we are possibly on a level playing field now and a glass of reliably good wine has been the saving grace at the end of a shift to bring you back to a ‘norm’ in order to face the reality of whole thing again the next day.

Stay at home and stay safe,

Kind regards,

Sue
Julie Lee on April 28, 2020 at 3:58 pm said:

I have a blue light card and trying to order introductory mixed case with 20% discount which it says you can use it of discounted offers but i can access vault code via blue light. Can you help pleass?

Many thanks

Julie
- Laithwaite's Wine on May 18, 2020 at 4:01 pm said:
  
  Hi Julie,
  
  Unfortunately our introductory wine plan cases are excluded from the 20% discount however select standard cases which are already discounted are eligible for Blue Light Card discount. If you are having trouble accessing your vault on Blue Light Card you will need to contact Blue Light Card directly. Sadly, there is nothing we can do our end with looking into issues with accessing the vault. Please do let us know if there is anything we can do to assist you further. Thank you.
Rachel standish on April 29, 2020 at 5:08 pm said:

Thats great.How do we get the 20% discount for blue light. What code is it . Where do we input our blue light number ?
- Laithwaite's Wine on May 5, 2020 at 2:45 pm said:
  
  Hi Rachel,
  
  You’ll need to head over to the Blue Light Card website, log on securely and access your vault. You can download a unique discount code entitling you to 20% discount. Discount codes can’t be used in conjunction with another offer or code and product exclusions apply.
  
  Offer codes are unique and single use only, you can repeat the process and obtain another code for further orders. All codes can be redeemed online and over the phones. All you need to do is add the qualifying wines into your basket and add your unique voucher code in the “voucher code” box in the checkout.
  
  Please do let us know if you have any troubles with this.
Terry Hayward on April 29, 2020 at 7:52 pm said:

How do we apply discount if we have a blue light card
- Laithwaite's Wine on May 5, 2020 at 2:38 pm said:
  
  Hi Terry,
  
  You’ll need to head over to the Blue Light Card website, log on securely and access your vault. You can download a unique discount code entitling you to 20% discount. Discount codes can’t be used in conjunction with another offer or code and product exclusions apply.
  
  Offer codes are unique and single use only, you can repeat the process and obtain another code for further orders. All codes can be redeemed online and over the phones. All you need to do is add the qualifying wines into your basket and add your unique voucher code in the “voucher code” box in the checkout.
  
  Do let us know if you have any troubles with this.
  - Nicola Thompson on November 25, 2020 at 8:37 pm said:
    
    Hi- I’ve just been on the blue light app and the discount of 20% is showing on the home page but when you click on the link it says no offers available? Is there an offer or not?
    - Laithwaite's Wine on December 1, 2020 at 10:57 am said:
      
      Hi Nicola,
      
      Yes we do currently have an offer with the Blue Light Card. Are you still experiencing difficulties accessing the discount?
      
      Best wishes
      Emily
      - Jane Stewart on January 2, 2021 at 9:59 pm said:
        
        Hi,do you still have the blue light card discount, it is not coming up when I search in the app,it says no offers.Thanks
      - Laithwaite's Wine on February 19, 2021 at 9:45 am said:
        
        We are still running the discount with The Blue Light Card. Please check the BLC Vault for your code.
Beverley Sanderson on May 4, 2020 at 2:21 pm said:

Just wondered how I get the discount using my blue light card
- Laithwaite's Wine on May 5, 2020 at 2:40 pm said:
  
  Hi Beverley,
  
  You’ll need to login to the portal on Blue Light Card website and access your vault. You can then download a unique discount code entitling you to 20% discount. Discount codes can’t be used in conjunction with another offer or code and product exclusions apply.
  
  Offer codes are unique and single use only, you can repeat the process and obtain another code for further orders. All codes can be redeemed online and over the phones. All you need to do is add the qualifying wines into your basket and add your unique voucher code in the “voucher code” box in the checkout.
  
  If you require any further help with this please do let us know.
Karen magee on May 4, 2020 at 7:35 pm said:

I am a nurse working in nhs but don’t have a blue light card. I have shopped with you for sometime now using the wine plan. Can I get the discount?
- Laithwaite's Wine on May 18, 2020 at 3:48 pm said:
  
  Hi Karen,
  
  In order to redeem the discount on our website you will need to apply for a Blue Light Card as it is a unique code which needs to be entered at the checkout. Please do let us know if we can assist you any further.
- Gail Fitzsimmons on July 2, 2020 at 4:45 pm said:
  
  Your fee to join blue light is more than redeemed on first case.
Nick Turner on May 4, 2020 at 9:17 pm said:

Tried ordering tonight, message says voucher already in us, can’t claim discount. Tried several time’,no joy.
- Laithwaite's Wine on May 15, 2020 at 4:26 pm said:
  
  Hi Nick,
  
  Are you still having trouble redeeming your discount? Do let us know so we can put you in touch with the right team.
  
  Many thanks.
- Sarah on May 16, 2020 at 2:04 pm said:
  
  I am getting the same message too! Such a shame.
  - Laithwaite's Wine on May 18, 2020 at 3:54 pm said:
    
    Hi Sarah,
    
    We’re sorry you are having trouble redeeming your discount. Please can you contact our customer service team on 03330 148 168 or send them a message on social media with a screenshot of the error message displayed when you try to use this. Alternatively, you can call one of our Wine Advisors on 03330 148 152 to place your order. Once again, we apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. Do let us know if you have any further questions. Many thanks.
Marta on May 10, 2020 at 12:15 pm said:

That’s a lovely thing to do!
Andy Rawling on May 15, 2020 at 4:22 pm said:

Can we get a two case deal on different case?
Do you need a code for a blue light discount?
- Laithwaite's Wine on May 18, 2020 at 3:46 pm said:
  
  Hi Andy,
  
  There is no limit on the amount of wine you can buy. However there are some product exclusions which include the introductory offer wine plans and cases. You will need to access a code from the vault on the Blue Light Card website and then enter this at the checkout on our website. Do let us know if you have any further questions.
Paul on May 26, 2020 at 7:45 am said:

Good morning – I have a wine plan and subscribe to the Rewards scheme. I also hold a Blue Light card. Is the wine plan eligible for the Blue Light card discount?

Many thanks

Paul
- Laithwaite's Wine on June 29, 2020 at 12:38 pm said:
  
  Hi Paul,
  
  The Blue Light Card discount cannot be used on our wine plans. Do let us know if there is anything further we can help with.
  
  Many thanks
  Emily
Wendy white on June 6, 2020 at 9:23 am said:

How do I register my blue light card on to my account?
- Laithwaite's Wine on June 8, 2020 at 3:46 pm said:
  
  Hi Wendy,
  
  You’ll need to head over to the Blue Light Card website, log on securely and access your vault. You can download a unique discount code entitling you to 20% discount. Discount codes can’t be used in conjunction with another offer or code and product exclusions apply.
  
  Offer codes are unique and single use only, you can repeat the process and obtain another code for further orders. All codes can be redeemed online and over the phones. All you need to do is add the qualifying wines into your basket and add your unique voucher code in the “voucher code” box in the checkout.
  
  Please do let us know if you have any troubles with this.
simon copley on June 9, 2020 at 4:05 pm said:

no free magnums left so not be ordering . I also work for myself adapting bathrooms to disabled bathrooms for the adaptions teams in Kirklees and wakefield . No 20% for me ?
- Laithwaite's Wine on June 11, 2020 at 10:09 am said:
  
  Hi Simon,
  
  We’re really sorry about this. Please send an email to our customer support team online.support@laithwaiteswine.co.uk with the subject line FAO of Emma Thyer. Emma will then personally look into this and see if there is anything that we can do.
Julie Bowe on June 11, 2020 at 6:20 pm said:

It’s a shame your long standing customers don’t seem to get many special offers people who have bought from you for years who also work extremely hard.
- Laithwaite's Wine on June 12, 2020 at 4:11 pm said:
  
  Hi Julie,
  
  We’re sorry that you feel this way. Our Wine Plans continually receive a great discount and we often send out some great offers through our email communications. We will take your comment on board and pass onto the relevant department. Do let us know if there is anything else we can do. Best wishes, Emily.
AdeyZZZ on June 16, 2020 at 7:24 pm said:

Do you offer any discount for key workers In addition to blue light e.g. teachers looking after the children of key workers? Thanks
- Laithwaite's Wine on June 29, 2020 at 12:37 pm said:
  
  Hello,
  
  Unfortunately not under the same agreement of Blue Light Card. Do let us know if there is anything further we can help with.
Gemma Payne on June 16, 2020 at 8:40 pm said:

Hi
I am on a wine plan. I haven’t yet got a blue light card (I do work for the nhs) can I use the discount on the wine plan?
Many thanks
- Laithwaite's Wine on June 29, 2020 at 12:36 pm said:
  
  Hi Gemma,
  
  This discount cannot be applied to our wine plans. Do let us know if you have any further questions.
  
  Best wishes
  Emily
Anonymous on June 25, 2020 at 8:10 pm said:

Hi you advertise the Bluelight card discount for the foreseeable future but actually it is for 3 orders only. You should be open about this to allow key workers to consider what they order instead of implying that the offer is unlimited. Misleading and disappointing.
Glen on June 29, 2020 at 10:08 am said:

Hi Can the discount be used with wine plans ?
- Glen on June 29, 2020 at 12:11 pm said:
  
  Is the deal ending on 30.6.20 ?
  - Laithwaite's Wine on June 29, 2020 at 2:08 pm said:
    
    Hi Glen,
    
    The discount has now been extend to the 31st July 2020.
- Laithwaite's Wine on June 29, 2020 at 12:34 pm said:
  
  Hi Glen,
  
  Unfortunately this discount cannot be applied to wine plans.
  
  Many thanks
  Emily
Gail Fitzsimmons on July 2, 2020 at 4:43 pm said:

Many thanks for my discount, very much appreciated. We have lots of lovely food and toiletries also.
And thanks for not sending wine to the hospital as having not had a holiday in a long time we might have felt the need to drink it.
steve bowman on July 5, 2020 at 8:08 pm said:

Hi Team,
Really appreciate the Blue Light discount scheme, thank you so much for thinking of us. These can be really difficult times, and a glass or two of your excellent wines is a real boon at the end of the day! Keep up the good work, and stay safe!
sara millington on July 20, 2020 at 9:52 pm said:

HI Laithwaites
just wondering if we can use the BLC in store?
Havent tired yet due to lockdown etc…
BLC are not providing codes for some reason although Laithwaites are happy for us to be given the discount with BLC –
thanks for your great customer shrive and quality wines – will still buy without the discount..;)
- Laithwaite's Wine on August 5, 2020 at 2:50 pm said:
  
  Hi Sara,
  
  Yes you are able to use your BLC in our stores to receive the 10% discount. Do let us know if you have any more questions that we can help you with.
  
  Best wishes
  Emily
Chris Hawley on August 3, 2020 at 12:41 pm said:

My wife works for the NHS and is a Blue Light cardholder. However, our Laithwaite account is in my name. Can I apply the code to orders on my account or will she have to open an account in her own name?
Thanks for a quick reply.
Chris
- Laithwaite's Wine on August 3, 2020 at 2:54 pm said:
  
  Hi Chris,
  
  The discount is open to new and existing customers so it can be used with an existing Laithwaite’s account. The unique code will be populated on the Blue Light Card website using your wife’s Blue Light Card details. If you have any issues with receiving the code please get in contact with Blue Light Card. Once you have the code it can be used on any Laithwaite’s account.
  
  Do let us know if you have any further questions.
  
  Best wishes
  Emily
  - Chris Hawley on August 4, 2020 at 5:27 pm said:
    
    The Blue Light app only shows the 10% offer. Has anyone else mentioned this issue?
    - Laithwaite's Wine on August 5, 2020 at 2:39 pm said:
      
      Hi Chris,
      
      The 20% off discount has now been reduced to a 10% discount. I hope this has helped and do let us know if you have any further questions.
      
      Best wishes,
      Emily
Jennifer gordon on October 3, 2020 at 10:56 am said:

I have had a couple of deliveries this year not knowing I could get a discount with my blue light card. How do I get tHis discounts in future. Upset I missed out in the 20%
- Laithwaite's Wine on October 19, 2020 at 3:06 pm said:
  
  Hi Jennifer,
  
  You can obtain the discount via the vault through the Blue Light Card website. It will then give you a code to enter at the checkout on our website.
  Do let me know if you have any further questions.
  
  Many thanks
  Emily
Hugh on October 15, 2020 at 1:15 pm said:

Hi, is the BlueLightCard discount still on, please? I’ve applied the code on BlueLightCard website, although the code is accepted but no discount is applied. Thanks.
- Laithwaite's Wine on October 19, 2020 at 3:09 pm said:
  
  Hi Hugh,
  
  Yes the discount is still on. We have flagged this issue and it is being looked into. In the meantime, please feel free to contact our team via phone 03330 148 168 to place your order, they will be able to honour the discount over the phone.
  
  Please let me know if there is anything further we can help with at all.
  
  Best wishes
  Emily
HL on October 21, 2020 at 8:33 pm said:

Is the voucher code only valid for one use please? I have used the voucher code from BLC but wasn’t sure if the discount was ongoing in some form? Many thanks
Tracey on November 5, 2020 at 8:21 pm said:

Would be great if some form of discount could be done for those working in education ie those working at the Schools, Colleges and Universities.
- Laithwaite's Wine on November 20, 2020 at 9:22 am said:
  
  Hi Tracey,
  
  Thank you for this feedback, I’ll get this passed onto the relevant team.
  
  Best wishes
  Emily
Gary on November 12, 2020 at 6:51 pm said:

Hi,
I placed an order yesterday using a Blue Light code and then an hour later, after my wife had looked at some of the Chardonnay wines, I tried to place a second order with a new code but it was rejected saying that I’d already used this discount scheme. I’ve used codes more than once before so I was wondering if there is a limit to how often one can use the codes?
Thank you
- Laithwaite's Wine on November 16, 2020 at 3:31 pm said:
  
  Hi Gary,
  
  Sorry to hear this. Please email our customer service team and they will be able to look into this and advise further. You can reach them at customerservice@laithwaites.co.uk
  
  Once again, we do apologise for the inconvenience.
  
  Best wishes
  Emily
Pam Smith on November 22, 2020 at 8:35 am said:

Hi are you still offering the 20% blue light discount?
- Laithwaite's Wine on December 14, 2020 at 10:04 am said:
  
  Hi Pam,
  
  We do still have a discount running with Blue Light Card. You should be able to access this via the Blue Light Card vault.
  
  Many thanks
  Emily
Karl on November 23, 2020 at 7:46 pm said:

I have just looked for the BLC discount code on the BLC portal and it states ‘no offers found’. Is the offer still on?
- Laithwaite's Wine on December 1, 2020 at 10:59 am said:
  
  Hi Karl,
  
  We have a new offer running with BLC. Please check your BLC vault to access this. Do let me know if you experience any issues or if there is anything else I can help with at all.
  
  Many thanks
  Emily
Catherine on November 24, 2020 at 7:57 pm said:

Hi, I have tried to look for a discount code to use with my blue light card however it comes up saying no offers found. Are you still offering a discount for blue light card holders. Thanks
- Laithwaite's Wine on December 14, 2020 at 10:03 am said:
  
  Hi Catherine,
  
  We are still running a discount with Blue Light Card. Please take a look in the vault via their website for more details.
  
  Best wishes
  Emily
Alison on November 25, 2020 at 8:31 am said:

Very disappointed to see that Laithwaites has stopped the discount for BLC members. I would have thought that during the second pandemic wave they would have been kind enough to keep it.
Having only just discovered Laithwaites and being very impressed with the service so far- I’m saddened that they have though to remove this discount when it is clear they can accommodate it (bulk orders at a lower price per bottle).
- Laithwaite's Wine on December 14, 2020 at 10:02 am said:
  
  Hi Alison,
  
  We are still running a discount via BLC. Do take a look on their vault for more details.
  
  Best wishes
  Emily
Tracy land on November 26, 2020 at 7:29 pm said:

Hi are you still doing blue light discount cannot find on the app anymore please.
- Laithwaite's Wine on December 1, 2020 at 10:56 am said:
  
  Hi Tracy,
  
  Yes we are still doing the Blue Light Card discount. You should be able to access this via the vault on their website.
  
  Many thanks
  Emily
Debbie Singleton on December 4, 2020 at 8:39 am said:

Hi
I’ve just signed up for a blue light card as part of a first order of wines.
I have added a second case of wines to the special offer with 50% discount. Can I use my blue light discount for that extra 12 box case?
Damian thomas on December 8, 2020 at 3:34 pm said:

I would love to use this offer but it is not in the defence discount directory 😭
Jamie Watts on December 15, 2020 at 7:37 am said:

Can you use the code more than once? Thanks.
Claire on January 2, 2021 at 3:26 pm said:

Has blue light discount ended?
- Laithwaite's Wine on February 19, 2021 at 9:45 am said:
  
  We are still running the discount with The Blue Light Card. Please check the BLC Vault for your code.
Fred Baxandall on January 4, 2021 at 6:51 pm said:

Hi, is this still available I cannot see it on the website?
- Laithwaite's Wine on January 11, 2021 at 4:44 pm said:
  
  Hi Fred,
  
  You will need to access the Blue Light Card vault to see our current promotion we are running in conjunction with them.
  
  Best wishes
  Emily
Greg on January 28, 2021 at 11:22 pm said:

Hi I’m getting error code
“Sorry, you cant add another voucher to your order. Your first voucher cant be used with any other offer”
But I’m only buying a case of red, it’s not any other offer…
- Laithwaite's Wine on February 19, 2021 at 9:43 am said:
  
  Sorry to hear you are having troubles redeeming The Blue Light Card discount. Please email customerservice@laithwaites.co.uk where they will be able to assist.
Tania on March 14, 2021 at 4:13 pm said:

Hi, I provide Dementia and care support to People, I’m self employed but fall under adult social care / support with confidence as a Personal Assistant. Are there any discounts for these healthcare workers please?
- Laithwaite's Wine on March 19, 2021 at 3:25 pm said:
  
  Hi Tania – Thank you for your comment. Please email the team at customerservice@laithwaites.co.uk who will look into this and also pass on your feedback.
Christopher Maher on March 27, 2021 at 6:34 pm said:

Hi

I have a Blue Light Card. How do I use it for the discount please?

Thanks

Chris
Vicki on April 1, 2021 at 1:00 am said:

Has the BLC discount finished? I can’t find any code.
Ani on April 14, 2021 at 5:02 pm said:

Does the BLC discount apply to the wine plans?
April on July 2, 2021 at 2:17 pm said:

I have a blue light card for 20% and free delivery, but when i go through to pay it adds the delivery fee onto my payment.

This has never happened before. How can this be rectified?
- Laithwaite's Wine on July 8, 2021 at 11:29 am said:
  
  Hi April – Thank you for your comment. Please email the team at customerservice@laithwaites.co.uk who will look into this for you.
Andrew Smith on November 3, 2021 at 8:51 am said:

Tried logging on to Blue Light Card but no offers found. Are you still offering discount?
- Laithwaite's Wine on November 3, 2021 at 12:33 pm said:
  
  Hi Andrew,
  
  We are still running Blue Light Card discount at 10%. I have spoken with the team and we have a few technical issues with the codes, this will hopefully be resolved soon for you to use. Apologies for the inconvenience.
  
  Thanks
  Emily

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