Ancient Roman ATM story was April Fool – but we’re serious about defending access to cash | Personal Finance | Finance

This morning’s story, published on April 6, claimed that a team of amateur archaeologists have unearthed stunning evidence of the world’s first ever cash machine dating back to the Roman Empire at a site in Hatfield, England. Our apologies. While the Roman Empire was technologically for advanced for its era, it wasn’t that advanced.

The truth is we made it up, with the help of independent ATM operator Cardtronics. It’s the type of things newspapers do, once a year.

However, our April Fool’s gag wasn’t totally daft, it also had a serious point.

Millions of Britons face being unable to access their money after 13,000 cashpoints have been axed in just three years.

Worst, many live are in some of the poorest areas, where local services are already depleted.

While many people are happy to do digital banking, the elderly and vulnerable tend to get left behind as a result.

Cash was essential in Roman times, and it remains vital for millions of people today.

That’s why we wanted to highlight the damage that banks are doing when they remove local services, and close branches.

Banks and building societies have announced the closure of almost 5,000 branches over the last seven years, at an average rate of 54 a month, according to Which?.

In March, Lloyds Banking Group said it would close another 60 branches for subsidiaries Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland.

This followed news that HSBC said will shutter 69 branches between July and October this year. That’s on top of last year’s tally of 82 closures.

READ MORE: 2,000-year old Roman era cash machine unearthed in stunning find

Marc Terry, managing director of Cardtronics, which runs 285,000 cash machines worldwide, is keen to defend the future of cash.

He said: “The impact of cash within British history and culture can’t be underestimated and now, more than ever, access to cash must be protected to maintain this cornerstone of British communities well into the future.

“We are calling on the Government to ensure that cash continues to be accepted in-store, so the underbanked are not left behind and the British public’s right for payment choice is safeguarded.”

Cash remains an essential service. Its threatened disappearance is no joke.