logo
The British town where cash is still king

The British town where cash is still king

Times17-05-2025

Broad Grant-Stafford has just emerged from Cranbrook Bakery on the high street in Tenterden, Kent, with a box containing a chocolate eclair, a doughnut, a flapjack and a tiffin, paid for with a £20 note. Grant-Stafford, a 69-year-old retired chartered psychologist, tries to use cash wherever he can.
'I use a card for the supermarket and petrol because it's easier, but the rest of the time I prefer cash,' he said. As someone who doesn't use a banking app, the cash machines on the high street, in branches of Nationwide Building Society, NatWest and Santander, are a lifeline for Grant-Stafford, who withdraws about £200 a week.
Cash usage has plummeted since the Covid-19 pandemic, when people were told to use cashless payments wherever possible. ATM

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

HS2 reports subcontractor to HMRC after alleged fraud
HS2 reports subcontractor to HMRC after alleged fraud

The Independent

timean hour ago

  • The Independent

HS2 reports subcontractor to HMRC after alleged fraud

HS2 has reported a sub-contractor working on the rail line to HMRC following an internal probe into alleged fraud. Last month a whistleblower threw a spotlight on two firms providing construction staff to a section of the high-speed line. It was alleged that an HS2 sub-contractor had been falsely declaring self-employed workers as Paye (pay as you earn) salaried staff and charging an inflated rate for them, then submitting 'fake' payslips, according to reports first published in the i newspaper last month. A sub-contractor was suspended from HS2's contractor Balfour Beatty Vinci's (BBV) section of the line in the West Midlands, the newspaper added. One firm has been reported to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for alleged supply chain fraud, a senior Whitehall source confirmed. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is set to raise the issue in Parliament next week. It is part of Labour's 'wider work to reset and deliver the project after mismanagement under previous governments', the source said. The entire high-speed railway project is undergoing a reset led by Mark Wild, who became HS2 Ltd chief executive in December amid rising costs and delays. The source said Mr Wild is 'looking under the bonnet and is not liking what he is finding' and added that Ms Alexander would highlight 'ministerial mismanagement', a 'lack of ministerial oversight' and an organisation that is 'not fit for purpose'. An HS2 spokesperson said on Saturday: 'We treat all whistleblower allegations seriously and are continuing to conduct our own investigation. 'Furthermore, HS2 Ltd has formally reported the allegations to HMRC, and we encourage anyone who believes they may have relevant information, which could support our inquiries, to report it in confidence via HS2's Speak Out channels.' HMRC said it cannot confirm if it is investigating. After reports emerged about the internal HS2 investigation in May, a Department for Transport spokesman said: 'The Government and HS2 Ltd take all whistleblower allegations extremely seriously and have a zero-tolerance attitude towards fraud, bribery, and corruption. 'We will therefore ensure any claims of wrongdoing in HS2's supply chain are thoroughly investigated.' At that time an HS2 spokesman confirmed it is a 'aware of the claims made in relation to labour suppliers on part of the route. 'An investigation was launched earlier this year into a number of different allegations and our contractor Balfour Beatty Vinci (BBV) has implemented additional monitoring and controls,' it said. The whistleblower claims were first made in February, the i reported. About 31,000 people are now employed on the programme across the 140-mile route. In May a giant HS2 boring machine broke through to complete the first section of a 3.5-mile tunnel on the route's approach into Birmingham. The tunnel is the first of two bores of the Bromford Tunnel, running from the village of Water Orton in North Warwickshire to the Birmingham suburb of Washwood Heath, and passing under the area's motorway network and the River Tame. The tunnel breakthrough, HS2's first in Birmingham, was described as a significant milestone for the line, which will almost halve journey times between Birmingham and London, while freeing up track space on the West Coast Main Line for local, regional and freight services.

Pub owner stunned to discover secret underground tunnel running below UK village after knocking down wall of boozer
Pub owner stunned to discover secret underground tunnel running below UK village after knocking down wall of boozer

The Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Sun

Pub owner stunned to discover secret underground tunnel running below UK village after knocking down wall of boozer

A PUB owner was left stunned after uncovering a secret underground tunnel beneath a UK village — hidden behind a wall in the boozer. Robert Bennet, the owner of the pub, was shocked when he discovered a network of tunnels behind one of his boozer's walls. 3 3 3 His findings have raised questions about the tunnel's ownership and thrown a wrench into his ambitious expansion plans. Robert bought Port Dinorwic Marina in T Felinheli, Wales, last year after it went into administration. His purchase included a number of buildings, including a restaurant named La Marina - which he renamed to Yr Heulyn. As work began to renovate the pub, Rob became curious about the mysterious plasterboard at the back of the pub. He had heard of a secret tunnel before and had a strange feeling that the passageway could be on the other side of the wall. After knocking through the plasterboard, a worker stepped through the hole into a mysterious tunnel. Opening up about the shocking discovery, Rob said: "There was a plaster wall at the back of the pub that had been built by the last owners but we didn't know the tunnel was behind it. "But I knew of the tunnel's existence and I could see a curved buttress at the rear of the pub. "We decided to knock through the plaster wall, initially just a small hole and we could see rooms behind it. We sent someone in and later enlarged the hole so we could go through. "We found that a previous owner had used part of the tunnel as storage, there were thousands of empty bottles in there. 'The most recent date on one of the bottles was 2003 was we assume it was blocked off shortly after this. We've no idea why it was blocked up." Now, Rob wants to open up the tunnel to the public and hopes to incorporate it into his pub experience. The pub owner says that he is considering transforming the space into a speakeasy. However, first, he needs to establish who actually owns the network of passages since his deed to the pub ends at his establishment's walls. The passage is part of the Port Dinorwic Tunnel, which was built in 1842 and connected Port Dinorwic and Penscoins. Originally, the tunnel was used to move slate but later was used to transport workers. However, the tunnel was abruptly closed in 1961, shortly before the closure of the Dinorwic quarry. The news comes after plans to construct a 'Welsh tube' were announced. The £1 billion project will feature a tap-in, tape-out system - like the London Underground - and will stretch across South East Wales.

Fortnum & Mason plots first UK stores outside London
Fortnum & Mason plots first UK stores outside London

Telegraph

time2 hours ago

  • Telegraph

Fortnum & Mason plots first UK stores outside London

Fortnum & Mason is plotting its first UK stores outside of London after a surge in customer demand for regular top-ups of luxury teas, biscuits and jam. Tom Athron, the chief of the luxury retailer, said he would be interested in opening stores 'up the spine of the country', adding: 'We do like the idea of stepping beyond Piccadilly [where it has its flagship store], and certainly stepping beyond London.' Fortnum & Mason currently only has four UK stores – including at St Pancras station, a 'tea salon' in London and Heathrow Terminal 5, as well as one site in Hong Kong. Opening outside London would mark the first time the Royal grocer has set up a permanent UK base away from the capital in its 318-year-history. Mr Athron did not say where a new Fortnums could open – but said he would look at sites in a 'beautiful location' with 'beautiful architecture'. He suggested Fortnum would probably consider opening one or two outposts, adding: 'This isn't about ubiquity. But there are other locations across the country where we think that Fortnum could offer both retail and restaurants, where it would be relevant. And we're looking at those now.' It comes as the retailer said it was no longer seen as a 'Christmas focused' business, with customers using Fortnum & Mason to 'stock their own larders' throughout the year. Fortnum & Mason earlier this month launched a new membership scheme – with those signing up to the 'Friends of Fortnum's' programme getting access to tickets for dining events as well as free delivery. Mr Athron said any new store away from London would 'remove the barriers' for the membership scheme and allow members to attend these events. Fortnum & Mason will also look at opportunities to open more airport stores, with Mr Athron saying: 'We would love the opportunity to have shops and restaurants in every terminal at Heathrow.' The plans come despite signs that households are slamming the brakes on spending, amid concerns over the economy. Figures from the British Retail Consortium last week suggested retail sales rose by just 1pc in the year to May. Mr Athron said Fortnum was not seeing a drop in demand. He said: 'What we tend to find is that when people become more judicious in the way that they spend their money, they switch out handbags and trainers for small luxuries they can take home – things like a really special jar of jam.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store