Small businesses in Wiltshire are insistent on their right to accept cash. They feel cash allows them to plan their finances more easily and avoid additional charges. While the trend toward card payments continues, many local entrepreneurs emphasize the importance of cash in their operations and customer preferences.
Not a frequent cash user, except for taxis, Susan Thirwell thinks cash is good for budgeting. Susan Thirwell: “If I give any tips, then cash. Convenience-wise it’s great,” she stated. Her experience is a harbinger of things to come as her reliance on cash speaks to the predictable preferences of many small business owners for cash’s simplicity and ease.
Richard Tidmarsh runs a recruitment agency and dog-walking business. He said that the only time his clients use cash is to pay for dog walking. He expresses the concerns of most small business owners. With a growing shortage of bank branches to accept cash deposits, their already difficult process becomes even more daunting.
Bradley Buechel International coffee shop entrepreneur based in Chippenham and tyre magnate based in Melksham. Asserting that cash is not a big part of transactions anymore is false. He mentioned that his coffee shop sees many customers wanting to pay in cash, emphasizing its advantages: “Cash is actually better because there is no transactional fee. With card you not only have to pay a processing fee but you have to wait. He’s a big proponent of cash business — in fact, he said it’s great business for us. We encourage it.”
Becky Lyons of the Pawesome Pet Shop accepts cash and card. She noted how customer habits change over the course of the month. She acknowledged cashless transactions remain incredibly popular. “I’ll accept any legal tender – I’m not going to tell people how to pay for their goods,” she explained, reflecting an open-minded approach to payment methods.
Despite the increasing prevalence of digital payments, the Treasury Committee recently called on the government to “vastly improve” monitoring and reporting of cash acceptance levels across the country. The report underscores the persistent need for cash acceptance, especially among small businesses that serve the widest breadth of customer preferences.
The UK government has decided not to enforce a legal obligation for firms to continue accepting cash. Rather, it is doing the opposite, abandoning payment policies to the discretion of each individual business. While many small businesses in Chippenham continue to accept cash, they face practical challenges related to depositing cash due to diminishing bank branch availability.
