What do businesses in Newark think about going cashless?

In its weekly voxpop, the Advertiser found out how businesses in the town feel about the idea of going cashless and how it would affect them.

As we went around Newark, many business owners, managers and employees described cash as being “King”.

Ever since the pandemic, the use of cash has decreased, making online shopping and the use of bak cards, phones and watches more attractive to society.

However, as the UK takes steps towards becoming a cashless society, the worries that elderly people will be strongly affected by it remain.

“Matthew Wells, manager at Pet Foods Plus said: ”Cash is very important, especially because we have got a lot of older customers that rely on cash because it is obviously easier to budget with cash than it is with cards.”

Betty Jones, owner of Curtains & Blinds said: “We will take cash, we are not a card-only business.

“Older people don’t always have internet banking or the facilities to utilise a card all the time and they like to feel money in their hand.”

Lyn Earl-Pont, owner of A Little Flower Shop said: “I think for smaller businesses it is different from the bigger businesses.

“Our card machines because of the amount that we take are not settled to take small amounts so it really costs me to take lower amounts on my card.

“I normally say to people I can only take over £5 on a card but I am finding more and more people do not carry it and I do get that but financially it doesn’t pay off small businesses to offer card options under a certain amount.”

Many supermarket giants such as Tesco, Morrisons and Asda have card only tills, taking away the opportunity for some to use cash.

Rebecca Bolus, an employee at Matthew Williams Podiatry and Therapies said: “We have some patients that cash is all they have known and I think it would be a big change and they wouldn’t like it.

“And again for children with pocket money and if they don’t have bank cards it wouldn’t be great so I don’t agree with a cashless society.”

Julie Armitage, owner of The Lodge said: “I wouldn’t like to go cashless at all. I think cash is king and that we should keep it.

“There are old people to think about, they like cash.”

Lee Jilatt, owner of Shadow Dreams Studio said: “We only take cash because I believe cahs is king.

“I don’t believe in paying the banks a percentage for the money that you are earning.”

Kelly Sedgwick, practice manager at London Eye Bespoke Eyewear said: “I don’t agree with going cashless, a lot of people, especially the older general don’t want to go with the cards, the phones and the watches and they aren’t going to.
“It is people’s choice and I don’t think it would affect us much in this business but I don’t agree with it.”

Eva Pratt, manager at Green Olive said: “It would probably impact us because we still have a lot of supplies that we still pay with cash and it is just nice to have cash and pay with it.

“A lot of people still prefer paying in cash.”

Hajra Kemari, owner of Petit Versailles said: “I am against cashless. I think cash is extremely important and the day that we lose cash we will lose it all.

“We lose it all and they want to control us with what we spend, what we earn, I am 100% against it.”

Tracy Morris, owner of Trent Galleries said: “We will not go cashless unless we are forced to.

“Businesses should do all ways of paying because so people think the card is easier, while others think that cash is.”

Pamela Jackson, owner of the Secret Wardrobe said: “Going cashless for someone like me because I am working by myself is quite a good thing because I had money stolen out of the till before.

“For banks not being available so much, to bank cash is difficult so I think in respect it would be a good idea.”

What is your opinion on going cashless? Let us know in the comments…