Two cash machines have been removed from a Romford shopping centre.

The Mercury Shopping Centre manager Spencer Hawken has called on customers to contact the cashpoint provider NoteMachine after the ATMs outside Asda were taken away.

He said they were used roughly every minute between 11am and 3pm and were “so important to the elderly”.

NoteMachine told him the removal was a “business decision”, Spencer said.

A spokesperson from the retail ATM provider said it previously contacted the centre to renegotiate contract terms to keep the machines installed, but was unsuccessful.

They confirmed it is in the progress of trying to find “another suitable location for an ATM in Romford”.

Romford Recorder: The Mercury Shopping Centre is urging customers to tell NoteMachine how important the removed ATMs were to them.The Mercury Shopping Centre is urging customers to tell NoteMachine how important the removed ATMs were to them. (Image: The Mercury Shopping Centre)

But Spencer said the removal seems “bizarre”, and accused NoteMachine of a “lack of communication”.

He said he is “working on other opportunities with other operators but they will most likely charge users to withdraw cash”.

Spencer is urging people to contact NoteMachine to explain why the ATMs are “so important to them” in a bid to persuade it to talk about the matter with the centre.

Another ATM machine is inside Wilko, but Spencer feels the removal of the Asda locations will mean it is emptied quicker.