Town have announced that Portman Road will be going cashless in the 2022/23 season, starting with the pre-season friendly against West Ham on Tuesday 12 July.

The club say the new system “has been designed to ease queuing and waiting times, while also making the process of purchasing food and drink more hygienic for all involved”.

Payments in cash will still be accepted in Planet Blue and at programme kiosks but the FanZone bar and Beattie’s will be card payment only with a limit of £100.

Cash payments will still be accepted in Planet Blue and at the matchday programme kiosks dotted around the stadium, but the FanZone bar and Beattie’s will operate on card payments only.

Hospitality areas and concourse kiosks will also only accept card payments, but Planet Bluey in the Magnus Group West Stand and the Planet Blue retail unit in FanZone will continue to take cash payments.

“We’re working on a lot and we will have as much as we can in place for the first game of the season,” Stuart Cox, the club’s new director of venue, one of four members of staff recruited from Norwich City this summer, told the club website.

“Part of that includes increasing the number of tills available to supporters. In previous seasons we have had as many as 90 but for 2022/23 we are hoping to have 130 tills operating on a matchday at Portman Road.

“That enables more touch points for fans to access kiosks and again should improve the wait time for supporters.

“Overall, going cashless should make the experience much smoother and efficient for both the Club and, most importantly, the supporters.”

It’s planned that the entire retail operation, including Planet Blue, will be fully cashless from November.

Photo: Blair Ferguson

OwainG1992 added 19:35 - Jun 27 Makes sense to me. Like it or loathe it we are in the year 2022. Times they be a changing. The club wants to get that younger generation tied down to Ipswich and little things like this will be a part of that.
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superblues9 added 19:41 - Jun 27 Will save them a lot of banking fees without the cash so makes perfect sense
3

davidwyard added 20:11 - Jun 27 My daughter has special needs and struggles to use a credit card, so when she goes to football we always make sure she has cash. So thank you ITFC for taking that privilege away from her.
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pg888 added 20:36 - Jun 27 There's always one but I'm sorry if someone can handle cash they can tap a card!
3

Nesspointrunner added 20:44 - Jun 27 A bad move. Dont alienate your oldest fans. Not everybody was born after 1990.
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TractorfactorSteve added 20:54 - Jun 27 Disagree with this for all sorts of reasons, not least that it's exclusive and goes against all the fine words being spouted about 'the ethos of the club'. Not to worry. Those who can't access the services needed don't have a voice and are further marginalised by this decision.
5

Kickingblock added 21:28 - Jun 27 About time too. Colchester did it a while back. It should speed up the kiosk service as people won't be fumbling through their change and no discrepancy if you handed over a tenner or twenty note, plus all the germs on money can stay in pockets. The old fogies will get used to it quickly enough. This is inevitable progress and the way forward. 👏👏👏
1

blues1 added 21:39 - Jun 27 Some people are unbelievable. I very much doubt there's anyone who doesn't have a debit or credit card in this day and age. Or access to one through family or friends who are with them. Buf guess somezfans just have to have something to moan about
5

billys_boots added 21:40 - Jun 27 I have no strong views on this either way, but I if people go to PR with no cash in their pockets (as is probably mostly the case these days anyway), it must make it tricky for the charities outside with collection buckets.
5

Crinkle59 added 21:42 - Jun 27 so now we have to wait while people fumble in their wallets instead of their pockets , sorry I was born too early ,spent too long watching ITFC.
2

JDAndCoke added 21:55 - Jun 27 People love a moan don't they... Those that are leaving negative comments here will no doubt be the same ones moaning that they can't get a beer at half time or that the fanzone queues are too long
1

blues1 added 21:58 - Jun 27 By the way, all the kiosks in the ground were cashless last season anyway. So no massive difference.
3

blues1 added 22:39 - Jun 27 Butchersbrokennose. So u downmark me for stating a fact? Laughable
1

Lightningboy added 22:50 - Jun 27 So what happens if/when the machines go down? Free drinks for all? 🤔
5

NITFC added 23:05 - Jun 27 I'm in my 60s and I think it's a great idea. Does cash even exist anymore?
3

bigolconnor added 23:15 - Jun 27 Going cashless does not in any way mean that you can't carry cash!
6

HopefulBlue69 added 23:18 - Jun 27 The more revenue taken from match day sales = more money for better players. I don't care what anyone says, the way the bars etc. have been run for years is very poor. You see people give up due to the wait both before the game and during half time. Its 2022, it shouldn't take more than common sense to put a system in that ensures we sell the most stuff as possible. I'd happily have 4 pints before the game (may need to rush to the loo just before 1/2 time) but the que is terrible so I have 2. That's £6 profit the club have lost of 1 person.

1

bigolconnor added 23:24 - Jun 27 And for davidwyard, obviously I don't know your daughter's circumstances but I believe that there are prepaid debit cards that you can top up cash on. It's a simpler way of paying for things than carrying physical cash.
4

JewellintheTown added 23:46 - Jun 27 Some of you are going to be mind blown when I tell you about paying by tapping a smartwatch or your mobile phone instead of a card! It's witchcraft, I say! Get thee pitchfork out, Herbert!
11

cantona11 added 07:39 - Jun 28 It's all good moving fwd but you could always use your card so if that's what most people do then no different but it does stop those wanting to use cash on the odd occasion to still use it!! As for those that don't have a contactless card for obvious reasons (unwanted scanning) and they don't use the card that often (forgotten their number) then this is not going to save time it just seems silly to me to stop the occasional cash payment as most would use their cards and there are more tills this coming season

3

SpiritOfJohn added 07:52 - Jun 28 @HopefulBlue69, I've read your post several times and can't work out if you are more frustrated with the wait to be served your favourite refreshment or the inevitable queue for the loo after imbibing 4 pints: "I'd happily have 4 pints before the game (may need to rush to the loo just before 1/2 time) but the que is terrible so I have 2". There is no mention of Teamcard points in the article above, does anyone know if they can still be spent on food and drink purchases?

0

RegencyBlue added 08:09 - Jun 28 Like it or loathe it this is the way many businesses have gone or are going. If some people have particular difficulties I'm sure contacting the club direct may result in a solution being found.
1

Ipswichbusiness added 08:20 - Jun 28 This is the way that the world is going; for example, all the Adnams pubs in Southwold seem to be cashless. I suppose that the idea is that it reduces all the cash handling costs such as tallying up and banking.
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Nesspointrunner added 08:21 - Jun 28 I was in a cafe last week and a thirty something bloke only had his card and the internet was down so he had to go hungry. Ha,ha.
2

TractorfactorSteve added 08:35 - Jun 28 You are being watched.
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