Wonga made borrowing too easy – none of us will mourn its demise | Patrick Collinson

The payday lender went a long way towards creating demand, not just satisfying itIt was the 1980s, I was drifting in and out of low-paid jobs, and near constantly broke. When the cash machine wouldn’t shell out any more, when the credit card was maxed out, my last resort was a shabby exchange bureau near Oxford Circus. They would accept me writing a cheque for £50 with a cheque guarantee card (remember them?). We both knew it would bounce. But the guarantee meant he got his £50