First Digbeth cashpoint update: we’ll be waiting a while longer

Back in December, Carl contacted National Express to see if a much-needed cashpoint would be installed in the new Birmingham Coach Station.  They answered that ‘there are plans for a cash machine to go in early 2010′, which made Digbeth residents very happy.

Whilst spending New Year in the coach station, I lost count of the number of times I was asked, “Where’s the cashpoint?”  Unfortunately, the new ticket machines bear an uncanny resemblance to ATM’s, which caused much confusion, especially for those who’d celebrated the New Year hard.

Man at a ticket machine, by Katchooo

A few days ago I was reminded about the awaited coach station cashpoint by promoter of all things Brum Pixie Sixer, so I emailed National Express asking if there were still plans for one and when it might be installed.  I received a reply saying they thought it would be ‘coming soon’, but they’d check things out and get back.

Unfortunately their investigations established that it won’t be coming as soon as many of us might like.  A lovely lady wrote to me explaining that she had ‘Had a chat with our man in charge of the cash machine. He informs me that banks aren’t installing new points at the moment because of the economic climate.’ Oh dear.  It seems we must wait for the banks to recover from the credit crunch before they treat the coach station (and Digbeth) to a cashpoint.  Until then, we’ll need to keep paying that extra £1.50 or get cashback with that.

However, as Dave Harte commented yesterday, ‘As much as we’ve all moaned about lack of signposting and cashpoints perhaps having neither is your greatest asset’ in preserving the ‘industrial/arts balance’ of the area.  So it could be a cloud with a silver lining.