Axed, last free cash machine in 20 miles
FURIOUS residents of a seaside town are accusing Lloyds Bank of damaging their community after it removed the only free cash machine in 20 miles.
The closure of the last bank in Lynton, north Devon, has dealt a major blow to its once-thriving tourism trade and driven visitors away, locals say.
In the busy summer months, the cashpoint gave out £400,000 a fortnight to thousands of people drawn to the village’s gift shops and tea rooms. However, foreign visitors are unable to use Post Offices for withdrawals because non-UK cards are not accepted. Traders say impulse purchases in their shops have dwindled.
Roy Crawford, a newsagent in Torrington, Devon, has cut his trading hours and said: ‘The place is dead. I don’t think anyone has understood how important it is for people to have easy access to cash.’
Lloyds refused to confirm how much the Lynton branch distributed. But a spokesman said many customers now rely less on cash and more on cards and online banking.