Lancaster pub goes card payment only after ‘huge decline’ in cash spending

The Borough, in Dalton Square, will now only accept card payments, after spending several months considering the decision and its implications.

Owner Hannah Horner said: “Over the last decade we’ve noticed a huge decline in our cash-handling.

“However, the last two years have seen cash transactions fall to less than 10 per cent of our customer spend.”

General Manager Gary Tennant said it was hard not to notice how some of the bigger high street retailers are enhancing customer experience by reducing time spent on cash handling.

“The speedier interactions at the point of sale will mean more time spent face to face with customers,” he said.

The company, which also owns the Britannia in Ullswater Road and the Lodge in Slyne says customers have responded positively to the changes.

Hannah added: “We’ve spoken to many of our regular customerss who have all reacted positively to the changes. We cannot forget that this may be new for Lancaster but has been a rapid development in the last few years in hospitality across the UK.

“There is significant evidence that cashless businesses reduce their carbon footprint significantly.”

Joint owner Martin Horner said that the move would help staff to feel safer, and that cashless businesses have reported huge decreases in theft and security issues.

He said: “Ultimately, removing cash will help to ensure our staff feel safe at all times. We’ve always prided ourselves as being a business of firsts and hope that this will help us to move forward with changing technology.”