- Oxfordshire community regains access to free-to-use cash machine
- LINK PayPoint ATM opens after previous machine removed earlier this year
- PayPoint is LINK’s first partner in the nationwide rollout
Welwyn Garden City, 03 September 2019: Ardington in Oxfordshire is the first location in the UK to benefit from a new nationwide scheme that helps communities regain access to free-to-use cash machines.
PayPoint – the leading provider of multichannel payments, retail technology and services – installed the new machine last week, which is the first in LINK’s programme to provide charge-free ATMs to communities that have lost their free access to cash.
The ATM re-opened at the Grocer Chef tearoom and general store on Ardington High Street, after the previous one was removed by a previous operator. The new ATM is self-fill, and cash is not stored on the premises overnight.
Earlier this year, LINK pledged to install a new cash machine at any location which loses a ‘Protected ATM’, where there is no alternative to free cash access and where a suitable location can be found.
Across the UK, there are around 3,500 free-to-use ATMs that are more than a kilometre away from the next closest or form part of LINK’s Financial Inclusion Programme, which safeguards free ATMs in remote and deprived areas. These ATMs are eligible for subsidies that are funded by the banks.
Patrick Headon, CEO of PayPoint, commented: “The changing high street has seen many areas lose free access to cash, even though many people still rely on it in their daily life. Installing more ATMs will allow people who need it to withdraw funds affordably and further cement the retailers’ position at the heart of the community.”
John Howells, CEO, LINK: “I am delighted we have been able to work with PayPoint to restore Ardington’s ATM. It’s vital that we protect free access to cash where it is needed.”
Keith Grieg, owner of Grocer Chef, said: “Our village has seen a decline in vital services over the years, such as cash points and our bus service, so installing this machine will enhance access to cash for many in the community. In a village, a cash point can make a real difference, particularly to those who are not able to travel into town.”
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Enquiries:
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ABOUT PAYPOINT
In thousands of retail locations, at home and on the move, we make life more convenient for everyone.
For retailers, we offer innovative and time-saving technology that empowers convenience retailers in the UK and Romania to achieve higher footfall and increased spend so they can grow their businesses profitably. Our innovative retail services platform, PayPoint One, is now live in over 14,000 stores in the UK and offers everything a modern convenience store needs, from parcels and contactless card payments to EPoS and bill payment services. Our technology helps retailers to serve customers quickly, improve business efficiency and stay connected to their stores from anywhere.
We help millions of people to control their household finances, make essential payments and access in-store services, like parcel collections and drop-offs. Our UK network of 28,000 stores is bigger than all banks, supermarkets and Post Offices together, putting us at the heart of communities nationwide.
For clients of all sizes we provide cutting-edge payments technologies without the need for capital investment. Our seamlessly integrated multichannel payments solution, MultiPay, is a one-stop shop for customer payments. PayPoint helps over 500 consumer service providers to save time and money while making it easier for their customers to pay – via any channel and on any device.
ABOUT LINK
About the LINK Scheme
The LINK Scheme is the national ATM Network that connects virtually all the UK’s ATMs. LINK’s role is to provide UK consumers with universal access to cash in a safe, convenient and rapid manner. LINK has 35 industry organisations as Members that issue ATM cards and deploy ATMs in the UK. LINK cash withdrawals account for around three-quarters of all cash withdrawals, with the remainder made up of withdrawals where cardholders use their own bank or building society’s cash machines to access their cash. LINK is a not-for-profit organisation and governed by an independent Board, which has a clearly defined public interest remit.
