A coffee chain has been blasted for refusing cash payments from a group of people with learning disabilities.

The incident at Caffè Nero in Canterbury city centre has been criticised by county councillor Rory Love, who branded it "divisive and discriminatory" to accept only cashless payments.

"Cash is a great leveller," he said. "Some people are in the position where they're just not able to apply for a bank account or a card."

Cllr Love's wife, Vicki Love, witnessed the incident at Caffè Nero's St Georges Street branch on a Saturday morning last month.

About six people with learning difficulties are said to have entered the cafe with a carer.

"The carer didn't have a card and she had been encouraging the group to choose the items they wanted, then count out their money to make sure they had the right amount," said Cllr Love, OBE, who sits on Folkestone & Hythe District Council and Kent County Council.

But on arriving at the till, the group was allegedly told the branch does not accept cash.

"The carer told the staff 'well I don't have a card'," said Cllr Love.

"I think my wife assumed that there would be some alternative solution, but the next moment they were all leaving.

"They handed their food back and they all went. It must have been one hell of a disappointment."

Cllr Love says he was "horrified" when his wife told him what had happened.

"Even if that was [Caffè Nero's] policy it's absolutely outrageous behaviour," he said.

"If I'd been there I would have offered to pay with my card for them - they clearly all had the cash ready. But it was one of those things that happened so quickly."

Like many businesses, Caffè Nero temporarily stopped accepting cash payments at all its 600 UK branches during the pandemic.

'There are people who have managed to collect a few pence on the street and just want a coffee...'

While the chain says it is now re-introducing cash at its cafes, there are concerns the pandemic has catalysed a move towards an increasingly cash-less society - helped along by the advent of contactless card payments and systems such as Google Pay.

Cllr Love fears this will exclude some parts of society, and wants to see cash safeguarded as a form of payment long into the future.

"I can't help feeling some businesses have used Covid as an excuse to remove this kind of inconvenience for them, because they don't want cash," he said.

"And it's incredibly divisive. It's almost using corporate leverage to push people into behaving in a particular way, which is not right.

"Cash is a great leveller. Everybody can choose to use it if they wish to.

"Some people are in the position where they're just not able to apply for a bank account or a card.

"Then there are people who for whatever reason have got themselves into a position where perhaps they're not eligible for a card.

"There are people who have managed to collect a few pence on the street and just want a coffee or a tea or a bun.

"None of that means they shouldn't have access to normal, everyday services.

"To say to those people 'no, sorry, you can't do it' is terribly, terribly divisive and discriminatory.

"I'm in a very privileged position - I've got cards. In a sense it doesn't affect me, but it does affect society."

Caffè Nero did not respond to the incident witnessed by Mrs Love, but said cash will be accepted at Canterbury branches from the end of this month.

A spokesman said: "We temporarily suspended cash payments as part of our Covid-19 measures to protect staff and customers, this was something both groups requested and supported.

"As we gradually emerge from Covid-19 restrictions, we have now re-introduced cash in nearly 150 stores nationwide and are continuing to re-introduce it on a store by store basis as part of our ongoing review of the best and safest way to operate. Our stores in Canterbury will resume accepting cash on August 30.”

Cllr Love welcomed this news, and said he hopes other businesses in Kent will follow suit.

He said: "I welcome the positive news that cash payments will be accepted again shortly at the Canterbury Caffè Nero stores.

"I'm sure that the interest of the Kentish Gazette in my campaign to safeguard cash as a payment choice will help focus minds at other outlets locally."

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