You can count on cash

SIR – Your recent article “Debit card payments to overtake cash” (May 26) will provoke new cries of triumph by those who have been predicting the “death of cash” since the first credit cards surfaced in the Fifties.

As the Bank of England put it, in one of its recent surveys, consumers continue to perceive cash as “fast and convenient, universally accepted, and helpful for budget management”. Almost 80 per cent of us choose to pay by cash in local convenience stores. This is why the decision was taken by the Bank of England to invest in the polymer bank notes and new coins.

The once humble ATM, which turns 50 next month, is set to play a crucial role in driving improved customer service. We can expect the number of payment methods to expand as innovations continue to be introduced, not least in ATMS. Ron Delnevo

European Executive Director, The ATM Industry Association London E8