The Barcelona Provincial Council's mobile ATM service is now completely free. According to the supra-municipal body, starting this Monday, users will no longer have to pay the €1.35 fee for each cash withdrawal. The Provincial Council will cover this cost "to guarantee equitable access to banking services in municipalities without bank branches," it explains. in a press release.

Maria Carme is 87 years old and has no credit card or online banking application. Until three months ago, whenever she needed to, she would always go to the cash machine in the centre of Navata, the village in Alt Empordà where she lives, to withdraw money with her bankbook. But Banco Santander decided to close it and, since then, all the villagers have to go to Figueres or Besalú every time they want cash. "But I'm not very well and I don't feel strong enough to take the bus to Figueres", explains the neighbour. Now it is his son who has to go to him to get money, but this dependency gave him a scare a couple of weeks ago. "My son was in close contact with a covid-positive person and couldn't come for more than ten days. And I was worried about running out of money and not being able to buy food". A whole series of damages that have complicated the daily lives of the residents of the 480 Catalan municipalities (more than 50% of the total) that, like Navata, do not have any ATMs.