Disappearing cash

sir – I recently visited a bar in Nottingham with my son and offered to buy a round of drinks. “Sorry, we don’t take cash,” I was told, and before I had fumbled in my wallet for a card my son informed me that he had paid – using his watch (report, March 6).

I had always believed that the coins and notes of our currency are “legal tender” and that they could not be turned down when offered as payment. While I do use electronic payments in many instances, I believe that by charging businesses high fees to process cash, by closing branches and by removing ATMS, the banks themselves are a driving force behind the drift away from cash. This trend must be stopped if we wish to preserve our currency. David Barnett

Griston, Norfolk

sir – There seems to be a general misconception about the use of cards.

Retailers welcome them regardless of the amount spent. The contactless process is quicker, with no need to “cash up” or to visit the bank. There is also less risk of theft, and insurance premiums are lower.

I am a convert. Geoff Boyes

Teddington, Middlesex

sir – The use of cash is very much alive and well in builders’ merchants, where I often wait behind plumbers, electricians and brickies as they hand over dozens of neatly folded £20 and £50 notes. I wonder why? Nick Rose

Chichester, West Sussex