The owner of a pub in Sutton is facing a “genuine crisis” as more people begin to pay by card, meaning the pub doesn't get the full payment.

Zoe Partington has owned The Lord Nelson for 13 years but is now paying 30p for a £5 pint in each contactless transaction.

That, on top of the cost-of-living crisis and stock becoming more expensive, means the pub on Lower Road is facing difficult times.

The 48-year-old mum-of-two was born in Mitcham and opened her first pub in Woolwich before moving back to Mitcham to open the Lord Nelson.

Zoe told Your Local Guardian: “60 per cent of my customers pay by card.

“The problem with paying by card is that I don’t get the full payment.

“This could put the pub into genuine crisis."

After having her first son, she was working eight jobs, until an opportunity came up where she climbed the ranks by becoming a manager and then buying a partnership in a pub.

Zoe is helped by her two children, Harry, 26, and Daisy, 21, to run the pub.

The payment terminal costs £28 per month, and it means if something costs £4, Zoe only gets £3.70 of it.

Not only are many of Zoe's customers youngsters who use their phones to pay for drinks, but fewer customers are coming because of the cost-of-living crisis.

Zoe added: “Youngsters tend to pay using their phone, which is not a problem, it’s just a generation thing.

“But some of the older clientele use cash and they find it difficult when it’s card only.

“We have someone who is 59 and has just got his first debit card because more people are doing card only.

“But because of that, it means an extra customer is paying by card.

“It would be easier for the pub if everyone paid by cash and I would prefer to take all cash payments because of the card fees being charged.

“I direct people to the free-to-use cash machine next door in the Tesco Express, however, the ATM regularly runs out of cash.

“If we have to take cards, we encourage customers to run a tab and pay a larger amount at the end.”

Because of the cost-of-living crisis, many other businesses are closing in Sutton, and Zoe doesn’t want her pub to fall into that chain.

She explained: “It’s harder for independent traders whether it’s a convenient shop or hairdressers is struggling now.

“If you come to the High Street, there are so many outlets that are closing.

“Everything that’s happening is making it harder to run.

“From utilities to rent to waste disposal, everything has gone up.”

One group campaigning to keep cash alive is the Payment Choice Alliance, which wants a law passed that makes all businesses and shops accept both cards and cash.

Martin Quinn, Campaign Director of the PCA said: “Local pubs, in particular, are being hammered with very high card fees, eating into the small profit they are making, it’s little wonder that pubs are shutting at such an alarming rate, pub goers should keep paying in cash when they can.”

The Lord Nelson is open from 12pm to 11.30pm on weekdays, and 12pm to 11pm on weekends.