Crown and Anchor pub, Brixton Road, Brixton goes card-only

[editor]

He's banned off the thread now.

 

[cuppa tee]

Reading these posts I still go back to what I posted a while back.

IMO if people want to pay by card or Apple pay good luck to them. What I object to is losing right to spend my hard earned money in the form I decide.

So far posts here have blamed the "context" such as banks, problems of bosses like robberies of business or making financial decisions on how its more financially efficient to go cashless.

None of this is my concern. I belong to the majority who don't own a business, aren't a banker. I sell my labour and use the money I get from that.

I live in a capitalist society so that's how it works.

At the very least I want to keep my right as a consumer to use cash if I want.

Is that so much to ask?

After all I thought living in a capitalist society was supposed to mean I can as a consumer choose what I buy and how. Or did I get this wrong? I thought development of capitalist society was supposed to give greater freedom and choice not less?

I can't see how anyone would disagree with what Gramsci says, and the same freedom of choice should apply to everyone. If a person drinks in a pub once a week, or a fortnight or even monthly and only drinks a pint each time, denying them service because they like to deal in cash for whatever reason is infringing their human rights. Management has no right to dictate to them because the human interaction that takes place could be critical for that persons mental health, especially in the present time when isolation/loneliness is an increasing problem and if that interaction is taken away then they could end up drinking a four pack or a cheap bottle of wine indoors alone with dire consequences.

 

[ricbake]

Attitudes have fluctuated since 2012 but the pub is essentially the same. Cheapest beer available is the excellent Oakham Citra only £4 a pint, I resent cashless only because every pint shows on my card statement... but it isn't a problem to me or as far as I can see anyone else who comes to drink there. When people are caught without a card, I and others have offered to take the cash and pay by card for them - it doesn't happen much or appear to cause anyone issues.

We live in a big city and modern banking with cashless transactions are part of it, it is possible to get a contactless card to pre-load with funds to be able to access the services and products only available for those with this facility. But discounts available via direct debit and credit cards etc can save such substantial sums on purchases and essential services it really is worth getting access to banking if you can.

From this thread May 2012

The pub was falling apart and soon to join the growing list of closed pubs in Brixton. A group of people pooled their resources together to save the pub and provide something that had a real prospect of staying open and serving the area.

It's almost impossible for small independent boozers to compete with the big breweries on discount pricing, but with the cheapest ale priced at £3.30, a sit down with half a pint is hardly beyond the financial realms of most folks.

Instead of digging up four year old comments about yuppification to have a sneer at the place, I'm just happy it's still there for the local community to enjoy.

I've been drinking regularly in the C&A since 2012, it has been through a number of different managers and the current one is excellent, hard working and a truly nice person. The beer is kept well, the food is decent, the staff on the whole are good, some of them have been there a long time. It caters very well for the very many regular clientele and all those who travel to it for the still excellent array of cask ales, ciders and huge choice of other beers.

The switch to cashless I think may relate to thefts and came after the departure of an assistant manager and rumours of stock control issues.
Martin and his London Village Inns are a business running 4 old victorian pubs which may well have closed if not invested in by them. They are decent people but they do inevitably consider the bottom line as does any business, they capitalise where they can. Their offering suits their customers

 

[teuchter]

I reject the concept of bank notes and other monetary tokens on ideological grounds. My preferred method to obtain drinks in public houses is by means of barter and I offer my professional services to the public house management for a time period that reflects the proposed sterling price of the drink divided by my normal hourly rate. I find that my human rights are frequently infringed by refusals.

 

[ricbake]

I reject the concept of bank notes and other monetary tokens on ideological grounds. My preferred method to obtain drinks in public houses is by means of barter and I offer my professional services to the public house management for a time period that reflects the proposed sterling price of the drink divided by my normal hourly rate. I find that my human rights are frequently infringed by refusals.

So you wash up and collect glasses?

 

[TruXta]

Yeah I remember why I stopped posting in the Brixton forum now.

 

[Ms T]

Every time I pay by cash in a pub the bar tender is surprised and I feel like a dinosaur.

 

[Thimble Queen]

Every time I pay by cash in a pub the bar tender is surprised and I feel like a dinosaur.

This is how I felt when I tried to pay with my glasses with cash recently. They only take card and I'd taken the money out specially

 

[Ms T]

This is how I felt when I tried to pay with my glasses with cash recently. They only take card and I'd taken the money out specially

They always present me with the card machine automatically and look amazed when I hand over my cash!

 

[Thimble Queen]

They always present me with the card machine automatically and look amazed when I hand over my cash!

The young people at my work are very cross that most independent businesses including many bars don't take card. It seems the total opposite of the London in that regard.

 

[CH1]

To add. Was listening to World Service late last night. China is testing out something called Social Credit. Will use a combination of private credit agencies who will share info on individuals with government and government own info on what is labelled bad behaviour.

This will add up to a Social Credit score. If the pilot projects work will be rolled out for every citizen.

This is apparently practicably possible now to do.

China is beginning to shape up to an Orwell 1984 situation.

Chinese head of Interpol recalled to China and disappears.

When Trump/US use Canadian courts to put pressure on Huawei heiress, placing her effectively on house arrest, China retaliates by "disappearing" two Canadian businessmen allegedly on spying charges.

Obviously the Trump administration is hyping up their dispute with China, but it is still the case that China essentially has little protection for individuals along the lines of habeus corpus.

In a way the Chinese preoccupation with social credit scores seems to me rather like the Esther McVey/IDS preoccupation with Universal Credit as a means of "helping people into work" by starving them into submission!

 

[cuppa tee]

I reject the concept of bank notes and other monetary tokens on ideological grounds. My preferred method to obtain drinks in public houses is by means of barter and I offer my professional services to the public house management for a time period that reflects the proposed sterling price of the drink divided by my normal hourly rate. I find that my human rights are frequently infringed by refusals.

I'm guessing this post is referring to my earlier one because of the reference to human rights, I am surprised you think this is a topic for snide satirical piss takes.....does your joviality also a extend to mental health generally and the idea of isolation and loneliness among the marginalised victims of a gentrifying city as well ?

 

[CH1]

I reject the concept of bank notes and other monetary tokens on ideological grounds. My preferred method to obtain drinks in public houses is by means of barter and I offer my professional services to the public house management for a time period that reflects the proposed sterling price of the drink divided by my normal hourly rate. I find that my human rights are frequently infringed by refusals.

Surely being Scottish you hang around until someone else buys the round?

 

[cuppa tee]

The switch to cashless I think may relate to thefts and came after the departure of an assistant manager and rumours of stock control issues.

Seriously......You seem to be suggesting that the tea leafing that prompted the change to cashless was in fact an inside job

 

[ricbake]

Seriously......You seem to be suggesting that the tea leafing that prompted the change to cashless was in fact an inside job

Gossip and rumour....

 

[Gramsci]

I reject the concept of bank notes and other monetary tokens on ideological grounds. My preferred method to obtain drinks in public houses is by means of barter and I offer my professional services to the public house management for a time period that reflects the proposed sterling price of the drink divided by my normal hourly rate. I find that my human rights are frequently infringed by refusals.

I take it from your sarcastic post you don't believe consumers paying for a service in a free market capitalist society should have right to pay by cash? This should be up to largesse of what the banking industry and business owners find is most convenient from them?

 

[Gramsci]

The switch to cashless I think may relate to thefts and came after the departure of an assistant manager and rumours of stock control issues.

So this isn't about caring for staff who are held up by robbers.

Its about, allegations, that staff having been putting their fingers in the till?

Why should I as a consumer have to have my right to pay by cash taken away due to that?

 

[Gramsci]

Gossip and rumour....

You posted it up. Why did you post it up?

 

[Gramsci]

So another reason for a move to cashless society is to stop the temptation of the employee to get a little extra from the till. What a great idea.

 

[TruXta]

So this isn't about caring for staff who are held up by robbers.

Its about, allegations, that staff having been putting their fingers in the till?

Why should I as a consumer have to have my right to pay by cash taken away due to that?

There is no legal right to pay with cash anywhere in the UK as far as I know.

 

[Gramsci]

There is no legal right to pay with cash anywhere in the UK as far as I know.

Which is wrong imo. If that is the case. Im not sure if it is.

I think its reasonable to suggest this should be a consumer right.

 

[teuchter]

I take it from your sarcastic post you don't believe consumers paying for a service in a free market capitalist society should have right to pay by cash?

Correct. Some services yes. Crap pubs in Clapham no.

 

[Gramsci]

Correct. Some services yes. Crap pubs in Clapham no.

So sarcastic as to be beyond sarcasm.

Your taking it to a higher level.

 

[CH1]

So another reason for a move to cashless society is to stop the temptation of the employee to get a little extra from the till. What a great idea.

I don't know if you noticed, but Wetherspoon pubs generally charge x.99 or x.15 and so on so that staff have to go to the till with your money (to get change). Someone once said that the CCTV cameras in Wetherspoons are trained on the staff!

 

[TruXta]

Which is wrong imo. If that is the case. Im not sure if it is.

I think its reasonable to suggest this should be a consumer right.

Maybe. Can't see it happening.

 

[editor]

I don't know if you noticed, but Wetherspoon pubs generally charge x.99 or x.15 and so on so that staff have to go to the till with your money (to get change). Someone once said that the CCTV cameras in Wetherspoons are trained on the staff!

Loads of bars and clubs have CCTV cameras fitted to monitor both the staff and the till.

 

[ricbake]

You posted it up. Why did you post it up?

Talk in the bar nothing proven but perhaps relevant...

So another reason for a move to cashless society is to stop the temptation of the employee to get a little extra from the till. What a great idea.

Stealing from your employer - What a great idea! How much is "a little extra"?

 

[Mr Retro]

Talk in the bar nothing proven but perhaps relevant...

Stealing from your employer - What a great idea! How much is "a little extra"?

Generally of the hardest things running a bar is finding honest staff.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

There is no legal right to pay with cash anywhere in the UK as far as I know.

There isn't no. As long as it's not due a protected characteristic a business can refuse to deal with whoever, for whatever reason they like.

The exception would be settlement of a legally recognised debt iirc.

 

[teuchter]

Perhaps the solution is to get the pint in your grasp before they come over with the card machine. Then drink it quite quickly at which point it becomes a debt which you are only able to settle in cash.