Money changers to be made welcome

The Church of England is considering installing cash machines in thousands of rural churches.

Senior officials want to exploit the vacuum left by the closure of bank branches by encouraging churches to revert to their role as centres of the community.

Bishop of Norwich Graham James, said that it would be an “excellent” development and banks say there would be no difficulty installing dispensers in churches. The prospect has dismayed traditionalists, who point out that Christ threw money changers out of the Temple.