Why are there so many names for a cash dispenser? Cashpoint Lloyds Bank had the first computerised machine on our high streets performing transactions similar to those we know today. It used a magnetic card that was returned at once at the end of the transaction. The word "Cashpoint" itself was introduced in 1972 by Lloyds Bank and registered as a trademark in October 1986. Although "Cashpoint" would be a fitting way to describe such machines generically, it is a trade name that has seeped into the English language for more general use. The term remains within the bank's intellectual property portfolio. Hole in the wall A Barclays press release dated February 3 2006 reported ..."Gone will be that American acronym the ATM (Automated Teller Machine) to be replaced by the more colloquial "Hole in the Wall." 'Hole in the Wall' is a Barclays registered trademark but it didn't quite hit the right buttons possibly because some pubs use the name too. Oddly the marketing director in the press release said at the time, ..."after all I don't know anyone in Manchester who goes to an ATM to get money out, but I know a fair few who pop off to the Hole in the Wall...." Cash terminal This seems to be going off the radar a bit. Cash machine This is a frequently used term in Britain but still may conjure up the image of other machines. For instance those for changing coins. Even so it seems a good name option. Almost all cash machines in the UK are connected to the LINK ATM network. Only a handful are not. Among these are two in the Bank of England solely for Bank of England bank accounts. These accounts are very basic and only for its employees and its pensioners. A few overseas bank branches have them. Darlington Building Society has ten ATMs in its branches for the use of its 71,000 or so members. I understand the society has rejected LINK on cost grounds. LINK's cash machine locator can be accessed via www.link.co.uk/ATMlocator. It also mentions whether there is a charge for using a specific machine and which other services the machine offers. This works on mobiles by putting in the present location via a postcode or town. The fact they are described as ATMs in this context endorses the term. The original members of LINK had a special dispensation to use the term in their own branding. ABBEYLINK was one for instance in use before the Abbey brand was subsumed into Santander. Finally Whatever they are called the fact is that such machines can cut out the middleman in the way of a cashier and working on a 24 hour basis they have transformed the way we bank. For money advice and tips: sign up to our weekly email