Visitors scramble for cash over weekend

VISITORS and traders were left frustrated by mobile network signals being interrupted in Henley over the weekend.

It has been claimed that increased activity in the town due to the Rewind South festival led to slow mobile data connection and sometimes none at all.

People requiring money in order to use Hobbs of Henley’s cash-only river taxi to and from the festival at Temple Island Meadows led to Waitrose temporarily running out of cash in its tills due to so many people using cashback.

There were also queues at the town’s only outdoor cash machine at Sainsbury’s in Bell Street on Saturday.

Hobbs of Henley managing director Johnny Hobbs said: “A couple of people mentioned the
problems at the cash machine on Sunday afternoon and we took card payments from them at the Thames Side departure jetty. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough card terminals for all the boats that we use for the taxi service and the signal is often unreliable up and down the Henley reach.”

In Market Place, traders at the vegan fiesta on Saturday had trouble taking payments from customers.

They often had to hold their card readers in the air and walk around waiting to get a signal.

Sarah Zeneli, manager of Sparkle Vegan Events, which ran the fiesta, said: “As it was so busy in town, it was a shame that some of our traders’ payment machines had a slow connection, depending on the network.

“We thank the customers this affected for their patience. This resulted in more requests for cash payments where possible, which was more challenging due to the current lack of cash machines in the town centre. We understand the council is looking to improve this before next year.”

Last week, former mayor Martin Akehurst called for Waitrose to install a cash machine in the store following the closure of a number of banks.

A spokeswoman from Waitrose said: “While we’re not currently planning to install a new ATM, we offer a cashback service. There are cashpoints within minutes of our branch.”

A spokesman for Henley Town Council said it was looking at potential options for installing more cash machines in the town centre.

• HSBC will hold sessions at Henley library offering answers to people’s banking questions. These will place from 10.30am and 12.30pm on Wednsday and on September 14 and 18.