Livingston’s Civic Centre café will start to accept cash payments for the first time since the Covid pandemic, following an agreement by the full council.
During the pandemic the small café moved to only accepting payment by card after national guidance designed to limit the spread of the disease.
The café is open to hundreds who use the centre, which is the largest partnership building in West Lothian and houses the council HQ, as well as police services, the courts, registrars and many other agency services.
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A motion raised at full council by Independent Stuart Borrowman and Lib Dem Sally Pattle said: “Unfortunately, we are now experiencing a Cost of Living crisis, which means many people are budgeting and returning to cash as a means of payment to help them live within their means.
“At a time when West Lothian Council should be enabling people to access food & drink at reasonable prices wherever possible, by only accepting card payments at the Civic Centre café, they are excluding many potential customers.”
Councillor Borrowman said: “It's embarrassing downstairs when someone comes in for a court appearance or a social work engagement you can see them looking at the price list and then scrabbling together the money they have in their pocket and then being declined a roll or a cup of tea and so on.
“This is not the council canteen, it's a public facility. It would be a good thing if we demonstrated that we are open to people who don't have a credit card or who have different financial circumstances to most of us.”
Councilor Pattle said: “The café excludes anyone who is not able to pay for items by card or mobile phone. There are myriad reasons why someone may not have access to a functioning credit or debit card, but they may have a couple of pounds in cash which they can use in the café.
“Our primary role should be that customers have the best possible experience when accessing the service being provided.
“There is no public health reason for the café to continue the exclusionary practice of card only payments.”
The motion was passed by full council without objection.
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