The Boot’s decision to accept card and phone payments only is dividing its customers.
Sam Lyall, 20, said: “It’s brilliant — I just use my iPhone to pay the bill.”
But farmer Gary Webb, 52, said: “If you are not actually handing over money it’s too easy to run up a big bill.”
Mike Keen, landlord of the country pub in Freston, Suffolk, says going cashless makes sense for customers and staff alike.
He explained: “There are no cash machines around here, so it was difficult for some people.
“We are happy for people to pay for anything from £1.20 for a packet of crisps by card.”
Mike, who recently reopened the pub after it stood empty for a decade, said not having cash on the premises made it more secure — which reduced the insurance premiums.
And there is less admin to do because cash doesn’t have to be counted and banked.
Signs by the tills, inset, tell customers of the rule.
But Brigid Simmonds from the British Beer and Pub Association warned the cost of digital payment systems can add as much as 20p to the price of a pint.
The British Retail Consortium revealed last week that 76 per cent of all UK transactions are by card.
Brits bought a record £1.6billion of gin in the last 12 months — equivalent to 60million bottles.
CROP FAIL HITS COST OF PINT
BEER prices are set to rocket after the heatwave blitzed barley harvests.
Crop costs have soared 37 per cent in the past year and experts reckon the average pint could go up 58p to £4.18.
Berenberg bank predicts brewers’ production bill will rise about 16 per cent in the next six months.
The British Beer and Pub Association said: “We also face the prospect of another increase in beer duty in the next Budget.”
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