Established in 1888, Ruardean Hill Sports Club is the hub of the village, providing a space for local residents to gather and socialise.

Sports range from cricket to angling, with a variety of daytime crafting communities to get involved with. The club hosts numerous evening events, with entertainment provided for all ages.

In 2020, the club had to adapt in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Manager, Gary Partridge, introduced a cashless policy to improve safety.

 

“We joined Handepay in 2018, after changes to our bank account meant that depositing cash became expensive.

I looked at a few different providers, but their services seemed quite old-fashioned. There were lots of fees which I didn’t think were necessary, such as minimum monthly service charges.

Handepay offered a great package, with no unnecessary fees, personalised support and cost-effective rates. I was pleased to discover that a card payment with Handepay would cost less than depositing that same transaction at the bank!

 

Like many businesses in the hospitality sector, we were forced to close due to lockdown guidelines. When we were able to reopen in the Autumn, we adapted our business processes to stay in line with social distancing guidelines.

We had to introduce table service, which meant that we would need to take card payments in all three of our dining areas, rather than at the bar.

I got in touch with Handepay and ordered an additional portable terminal. It was a quick and simple process, and our team can now carry out fast and efficient table service, in every room.

 

At the same time, I decided to make the bar fully cashless, a move I’ve been eager to make for a long time.

Even before the pandemic, it was something I was looking to introduce. I’ve read articles about bars in cities ditching cash and singing the praises of a cashless business.

With a pandemic affecting the country, minimising risk and improving hygiene and security was key. The last thing my team needed was for cash to be constantly changing hands.

The new safety guidelines presented the perfect opportunity to take the leap, and it’s been a success so far!

 

Going cashless allowed us to improve payment safety, taking a card terminal to a table to accept a safe contactless transaction.

Plus, our cashless policy reduced our workload! No more weekly trips to the bank and no need to cash up and balance the till after a busy evening. With no cash on the premises, our security is improved too.

We’ve got nearly 500 members and saw a really positive reaction to our cashless rule. They understand why we chose to ditch bank notes and coins and are happy that we’re doing our best to keep everyone safe.

One unexpected bonus was that our sales increased since going cashless! People spend more when paying by card, as they’re not limited to the cash in their pocket.

Going cashless has been a real benefit to the business. I don’t think we’ll ever accept notes and coins again!”