The Roman Baths Foundation, which operates the ancient Roman baths in Bath, England, has seen visitor contributions go down by more than 90% since it banned cash donations to its wishing well.
Instead, the foundation asked visitors to make a contactless payment, which they have apparently been reluctant to do. Donations fell last year to £9,490 compared to £104,129 in the year preceding the pandemic, and the last year the wishing well was in use.
Bath and North East Somerset Council, which oversees the Roman Baths charity, said the decision was made in part due to a “notable decline in the use of cash” since the pandemic and that the age-old tradition had “begun to damage the 2000-year-old structure.” Council officials also complained that many of the coins were unusable and that draining the bath to collect the coins wasted water.
A spokesperson for one of the groups challenging what they call an “utterly mad policy” retorted “A child making a wish with a contactless card does not have the same magical appeal… ”
Image: Diliff/Wikimedia Commons
Editor’s Note: Sorry, I couldn’t resist the temptation of that headline…
Only those who guiltily tap to pay a 20% tip when buying a can of soda at a convenience store, I would have thought.
But Bath is not unique: I took this picture in May at York Minster…
Frankly, I am surprised that they received ANY donations.