Strange that pawn and 'cash lending' shops should now have such a social stigma - in Victorian times they were as much a part of life for the 'well off' as they were for the less fortunate. The ironic thing is, the stigma can affect people in such a way that it puts them to a big disadvantage. A 'cheque cashing' fee works out cheaper than a bank payment taking you into the red......yet people will suffer the latter rather than be seen in that shop.... (",)