Horsforth’s councillors have welcomed the recommendation for the town to receive a new banking hub.
The hub has been recommended due to the closure of the Horsforth Town Street’s Halifax branch on February 24.
Banking hubs are shared banking spaces, similar to a traditional bank branch, but available to all banking customers.
It would include an ATM and a cash deposit and withdrawal service for personal current accounts and businesses, operating from 9am to 5pm Mondays to Fridays.
The recommendation is a result of a cash assessment carried out by LINK to weigh up whether there will be a gap in access to cash in Horsforth after the Halifax closure. The new banking hub is expected to be ready within three months of the assessment, which was completed on January 29.
Councillors Emmie Bromley, Raymond Jones, John Garvani (Labour, Horsforth ward) said: “We’re very glad that Horsforth will be getting a banking hub. Everyone should be able to access cash and our residents should not be expected to travel two miles to their nearest bank branch.
“We’re looking forward to working with LINK and Cash Access UK to make sure Horsforth gets the banking services it needs as soon as possible.”
WLD reported on the hub last month.
At the time Dr Chris Ashton, Chief Commercial Officer at LINK, said: “While more people are choosing to bank and pay for things digitally, we know that many people still rely and choose to use cash and face-to-face banking.
“That’s why we’re delighted to recommend a new hub in Horsforth. There are over one hundred hubs open across the country and when it opens, the Horsforth banking hub will be vital for the local community and high street.”
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WHEN? !!!!!!!!
A banking hub will be very much welcomed but how long will it take to be up and running and what should one do in the interim?
Im very unhappy to be losing my local bank – the replacement of high street banks by websites that are confusingly indistinguishable from the ones run by criminals is wholly inadequate.
The large banks will be saving a fortune in running costs whilst the customer get an increasingly reduced and inconvenient service.