Some shops have stayed cashless since lockdowns
I’ve campaigned locally to preserve cash as an option in shops, so I read Issue 647’s ‘Question of the Fortnight’ with interest (‘Is the UK ready to become a cashless society?’, pictured above). One point you didn’t make is that during the Covid lockdowns many shops abandoned cash for hygiene reasons. Not all of these have reinstated cash as an option.
As an example, my local pub here in Lincolnshire now proudly declares on its blackboard outside that it’s ‘Cash-free’. When I asked why, the barman said it was “an order from head office”. He said he didn’t agree with it, and every day customers complained about it. I asked him whether the head office lives in the real world. He said they all live in London where everyone has the latest smartphone, and mobile connectivity is almost flawless. You can make your own judgement about whether London counts as the real world!
