It’s the village that has been left completely without cash.
Almondbury residents have been left fuming after months of waiting for a cash dispenser in Northgate to be wired up.
Despite the old-fashioned red phone box, complete with built-in cash facility, being installed in April, BT has failed to get it working leaving traders and residents in despair.
Kirklees councillors Linda Wilkinson and Phil Scott, who represent the ward, have tried their best to advance matters but to no avail, although at least now Northern Grid have provided power to the kiosk.
Gillian Starke, who has run the Lollipop Tree sweet shop in the village for four years, said: “These delays are just infuriating, it’s unbelievable that it is taking so long.
“People wonder why BT bothered in the first place.
“It took a long time for all the planning wrangles over where it was going to be situated to be sorted out but since then, when it was installed after Easter, nothing has happened.
“Customers keep asking what’s happening and more elderly people wonder what it is! All I know is that I have had the worst six months trade since I have been here.
“The HSBC bank shut in November and the Post Office closed for refurbishment recently so there was no cash dispenser whatsoever in the village and people have had to ask for cash back at the Co-op or travel all the way into Huddersfield.”
Clr Scott said “Northern Grid managed to get power to the kiosk but the problem is with BT whose separate departments don’t appear to be communicating with one another properly. It is very frustrating indeed. The electricity supply is there but the data cable is not and cash element.
“Fortunately the cash machine at the newly refurbished Post Office is now working again so that is something. There’s no doubt that it has had a significant impact on retailers. BT have failed miserably.”
A spokeswoman for BT Redcare and Payphones HLC said: “Our field coach for the area told me that the box had been put into the ground and is now waiting for the external ATM to be fitted.”
