PLANS to open Britain's first giant vending machine in Blackburn have been put on ice.
A Belgium firm had earmarked a site on Openshaw Drive for their first UK 'Roboshop.'
The giant round-the-clock vending machines, which are installed in shop fronts, offer hundreds of items, ranging from baby milk to chocolate bars.
Customers choose the items they want, pay for them using cash, notes or credit cards and a robotic arm then picks out the goods and delivers them through a hatch.
But software problems on a similar machine recently installed in Germany have led to a hold-up.
"It is a problem with it not being able to accept our decimal coins," explained Eric Nolan, of New Distribution Systems, an Accrington-based firm set up by the Belgian parent group to market the vending machines in the UK.
The Roboshop was planned to go on the end of a row of shops on Openshaw Drive.
"It was a good location because it was near a busy Spar shop and a chip shop. We're not sure whether it will go ahead and we're just waiting to hear from Belgium."
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article