Payment by cash or Visa card only at London Olympics

Paul Dancey on 11/06/2012

As a top tier sponsor of London 2012, Visa has ordered the closure of all cash-points accepting Mastercard or American Express within the Olympic Park area.

As a result around 27 Link cash machines are to be replaced by 8 Visa only cash points, and only payment by Visa card, or cash, will be accepted at checkouts when purchasing food, drinks and merchandise at Olympic venues.

The removal of link machines is likely to leave around 34 venues, including Wembley Stadium, without cash point facilities during the games.

Critics claim this is simply a cynical ploy to boost Visa's income from transaction fees during the games, and promote their new "contact-less" payment cards which will be accepted.

Marc Gander, of the Consumer Action Group, is reported as saying that: "This is shocking. It is a privilege to be a sponsor of the Olympics and they are abusing that privilege by exploiting consumers.

"Non-Visa customers will be angry and concerned by this kind of discrimination. Where are we heading with this? Will we cover up manhole covers with Thames Water on them because it is not a sponsor? This should be a joyous event and instead it is being marshalled in a controlled and rather sinister '1984' manner."

Source: thisismoney.co.uk

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