Pint of milk and £50

Two thousand shops will offer withdrawals of cash from their tills by the end of the year in a welcome new scheme. With ATMS harder to find and banks closing, it has become an uphill task for many to get hold of their own cash. When banks started refusing to hand over money even to customers of decades standing without ID, supermarkets usefully provided cashback. Now hundreds of supermarkets have stopped that service. It’s not just the money. Corner shops, even if ramshackle, enabled customer and shopkeeper to get to know each other. Many would cash a cheque (that endangered species) or offer credit. Chain convenience stores were not the same, lacking a human element. A return of the chance to get cash (even without having to buy anything) should be good for customers and for independent retailers.