Bank Machine, UK’s leading ATM operator, today launches a free to use ATM service in the historic village of Rainhill, after the only bank in the area recently closed and removed its cash machine.

Rt. Hon. Shaun Woodward MP, local Councillors and businesses contacted Bank Machine urging intervention as the damaging impact of no access to cash became apparent for both villagers and businesses alike. Mr Woodward states:

“The lack of access to cash for the people of Rainhill could have had a disastrous effect. Unfortunately some local businesses were already seeing the repercussions as residents were travelling into town and spending their money there. We want to keep Rainhill a thriving area and the introduction of Bank Machine’s ATM will certainly help do this.”

The new cash machine will serve 12,000 villagers, ensuring that local residents no longer have the inconvenience of travelling to other towns, therefore allowing them to shop locally. Mr Woodward and local councillors are confident this will have a positive effect on local businesses that are already struggling due to the recession.

Ron Delnevo, Managing Director of Bank Machine commented:

“We are delighted to be operating this machine and to help a community that has seemingly been ignored by the high street banks. It is ironic that a village that was a venue for the 19th Century Railway trials that helped launch a transport revolution in the UK should be neglected in this way. The local people deserve better and that is why we have been very happy to work with Shaun Woodward to ensure that the residents and businesses in Rainhill have access to cash. This ATM joins the list of more than 600 free to use cash machines we already operate around the country.”

The free to use ATM will be located in Ann’s Newsagent at 16 Dane Court, Rainhill.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors:

• The free to use ATM will be located at Ann’s Newsagent, 16 Dane Court Rainhill.

• Last year, nearly £200 billion was dispensed from cash machines in the UK, an average of £6000 per second. This figure is forecast by APACS to steadily grow over the next five years.

• Bank Machine created the UK’s independent ATM market ten years ago and now has more than 2,700 cash machines in a wide variety of leisure and retail outlets, ranging from Selfridges to convenience stores.

• Bank Machine operates both Free To Use and Pay To Use ATMs, with over 600 Free-To-Use ATMs installed in, for example, NHS hospitals, military bases, Universities and low-income areas, as well as busy High Streets around the UK.

• Based in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Bank Machine (a division of Cardtronics Inc.) now has over 100 staff.

• For further information about Bank Machine, please visit its website (www.bankmachine.com) or contact Surinder Kaur Gill at Quintus Public Affairs on 0207 340 6290 / email surinder@quintuspa.com