I would like to wish everyone a Happy St David’s Day. As St David himself said: the little things matter. That’s why I was alarmed to read last month that the UK’s network of free cash points could be under threat from new rules by LINK, the ATM network. After years of rural bank and post office closures, cash points are a vital resource for residents, particularly the elderly and those without cars, and their loss could be hugely damaging.
This is an issue that particularly affects Wales, as we have many small towns and rural areas with a dearth of free ATMs and banks have been 3x more likely to shut branches here than in Southeast England or London in recent years. I’m glad LINK is giving reassurances that they will do whatever is necessary to keep ATMs in deprived and rural communities that rely on cash, but I will be keeping a close eye on the situation locally and pressing LINK to live up to its promises of support.