A POPULAR pub in Hockley has risked the fury of residents after putting a total ban on cash payments.

The Bull Inn, in Main Road, Hockley, has officially moved to card and contactless payments only after brewery Greene King launched a trail at a series of its pubs.

Greene King claims that roughly 90 per cent of payments at the pub are made by card, however the move has sparked a debate.

One resident took to Facebook claiming they were turned away from the pub earlier this week after attempting to pay with cash.

Hockley Conservative councillor, Eileen Gadsdon, urged residents to continue supporting the pub as it was a decision made by Greene King, not the pub owners. She said: “My general opinion of a cashless society is that not many people have bank accounts, people have had them cancelled. I personally believe that cash is legal tender and I absolutely oppose getting rid of cash.

“It’s nothing against The Bull pub as it’s just a policy, I like their service and they’re very much loved, but I sincerely believe everyone should be able to pay by cash.

“People need to write to their local MPs and to their local councils about this because once it’s gone, it won’t come back, people need to think about this now. This is a debate that needs to be had.”

Rochford’s Residents Group councillor Adrian Eves voiced his concerns about the trial.

He said: “Well first of all, it’s a commercial decision but is certainly going to exempt people from using the place and it seems like they are already excluding a section of our residents which is unfortunate to say the least.”

A spokesman from Greene King has revealed the move to go cashless was part of a commercial trial.

They said: “We’re undertaking a trial in a small number of our pubs where around 90 per cent of customer spend is made via card payment.

“This is a trial and we have not made a business decision to permanently go cashless in this small number of pubs, or any other of our pubs, at this stage.”