A new record was established when a Bitcoin ATM was recently installed in a historic English pub, Bishop Lacy, in Chudleigh.
Bishop Lacy now has the honor of being the oldest building in the world to have a cryptocurrency ATM within it.
Making history
Bishop Lacy in Chudleigh is a recognized historic building. It was originally built in the early 16th century (the 1500s), with subsequent remodeling taking place over the following centuries.
While the building that houses the pub is centuries old, it does have ties to the latest technological innovation—cryptocurrency.
Jon Gaze, director of Satoshi ATM UK, the operator of the Bitcoin ATM, notes, “We used to hold crypto meetings at the pub and it was very popular and well supported. We decided to go one better and help people buy crypto.”
The Bitcoin ATM is located in the pub’s takeaway section to ensure privacy and security.
Satoshi ATM UK is the third-largest cryptocurrency ATM operator in the region, and the company has plans for expansion.
Jon Gaze says, “We currently have 3 ATMs and are looking for more venues around the South West. We are looking specifically at Exeter and will investigate any location that shows an interest. This is particularly good as we offer a £250 reward for anyone that connects us with a suitable location that takes the ATM.”
The continuing rise of the Bitcoin ATM
The number of cryptocurrency ATMs continues to rise as more people are becoming comfortable with using virtual currencies. Coin ATM Radar reports that 11 crypto ATMs are installed every single day.
At the start of 2017, there were 966 crypto ATMs in the world. Fast forward to today, there are 8,682 such ATMs found across the globe.
The United States has the most Bitcoin ATMs in the world with 6,587. The United Kingdom has 276 such crypto ATMs now in place.
The Bitcoin ATM located in the historic Bishop Lacy pub is the only such ATM in the entire town of Chudleigh.
Images courtesy of Trish Steel/Wikimedia Commons, rawpixel.com/Pxhere