More details have been revealed about a new ‘banking hub’ coming to West Kirby.
NatWest announced last week that it will shut its Banks Road branch on 8 July 2024, marking the withdrawal of the last remaining bank in the town, following the earlier closures of Santander, the Co-op, Lloyds and Barclays.
The bank has released figures showing that only five personal banking customers regularly use its counter service, with a further 119 businesses visiting it frequently.
It also revealed that their services would be replaced by a banking hub.
Now LINK, which provides the UK’s Cash Access and ATM network has announced a hub will be established ‘as part of a wider commitment to protect access to cash’.
West Kirby will become one of 100 communities nationwide set to receive the new shared banking service.
Banking hubs are a shared banking space, similar to a traditional bank branch, but available to everyone.
The hub will consist of a counter service operated by Post Office employees, where customers of any bank can withdraw and deposit cash, make bill payments and carry out regular banking transactions.
In addition, there will be private spaces where customers can speak to community bankers from their own bank for more complicated matters that require specialist knowledge or privacy.
The banks will be working on a rotating basis, so there will be staff from different banks available on different days.
The banking hub will now be delivered by a new bank-owned infrastructure company called Cash Access UK.
LINK says that, over the next few weeks, it will begin to engage with the local community and start looking for potential sites ahead of it opening next year.
Nick Quin, Head of Financial Inclusion, LINK: “While more consumers are choosing to pay for things online and digitally, there are still five million people who rely on cash.
“We know that face to face banking services are critical too. That’s why banking hubs are important for consumers, businesses and the high street.
“This is the first we’ve recommended on The Wirral and we look forward to it supporting the community.”
