Hills Longmile Filling Station in Cumbria installed a Hanco cash machine more than two years ago and has seen the benefits to its business.
“Customers like the convenience and it’s an alternative to people having to go into town and pay for parking while they go to a bank cash machine”, explained manager Steve Trembath.
“You get one or two who comment about paying £1.25 to get their own cash, but at the end of the day it is a matter of choice and convenience.”
The busy outlet is one of 11 sites owned by the Hills group. It is situated at Lillyhall on the main A595 between Workington and Whitehaven and opens 365 days a year with a 24-hour petrol operation. Its cash machine is available to use from 5am to 11pm when the shop is open.
The opening hours, the convenience goods and services like the cash machine are all ways of retaining and increasing business.
Steve said: “We are in the middle of an industrial estate on a main road and it’s a busy trading area. We sell a whole range of items and we have a lot of passing trade.
“We’ve found that if people withdraw cash from the machine they are more likely to make impulse buys.
“You can see the machine as you come through the door and we also have a sign outside so anyone passing will notice that we have an ATM.
“It is certainly beneficial to the business.”
In addition to debit cards, Hanco machines accept Visa and Mastercard credit cards and international debit cards and they can also do mobile phone top-ups.