As Cardiff Blues’ preparations intensify ahead of the 2018-19 season, we will also be making a number of changes at Cardiff Arms Park.

From next week the iconic ground will become a predominantly cashless facility to enhance customer experience and improve security.

All public bars, the car park and Cardiff Blues shop will become entirely cashless to ensure a more efficient and secure transaction with electronic payments.

To facilitate those with cash on match-days, there will be cash exchange points on both sides of the ground where redeemable vouchers can be purchased.

Cardiff Athletic Club members bar will also switch to the new system, although a cash-till will also remain available.

Cardiff Blues general manager Rhys Blumberg said: “The UK is now very much a cashless society with more than 60 per cent of all transactions now electronic and that is only increasing.

“Going cashless at the Arms Park will not only cut our associated costs as a company, which is of benefit to the product on the pitch, but will be more secure and enhance the customer experience.

“All the data shows electronic transactions are substantially quicker than cash so it will be a much more efficient process with a reduction on queue times at the Arms Park.

“We appreciate there may be some teething problems and some people may still want to use cash and it’s for that reason we will be introducing the voucher stalls.”

One exception to the new till system will be the ticket office, which will continue to take both cash and card payments.