The “Big 5” UK banks - Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, Nat West, Santander - started closing their branches and removing ATMs 20 years ago.
90% plus of the British public have accounts - are customers of - those Big Five banks. The decision of the bank Boards to leave High Streets meant it was inevitable , like it or not, that those customers were going to be forced to use online banking.
It also meant it was inevitable that the Big Five banks would try to impose “cashless” on the British public.
Without branches or ATMs, banks can’t handle cash for customers on their own premises - and, if they avoid it, they don’t want to pay anyone else for providing cash services.
So the Big Five want “cashless”.
They don’t care that the British public do NOT want “cashless”.
That’s obvious, because in June this year, 90% of the British public - the Big Five bank customers - told YouGov that that they continue to use cash. 71% of them also made clear that they want a law - a Payment Choice Act - to give them the right to use their cash, when and where they choose.
Who is going to win?
The Big Five banks, that were saved by the British public in the 2008 financial markets collapse OR the British public?
No contest!
The Big Five will NOT be allowed to impose “cashless”.
Not now; not ever; NEVER.