COUNCIL IN FIGHT FOR BANKING HUB

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to set up a banking hub in Henley.

The town council is responding to the spate of bank closures.

The town will soon have just one remaining bank, Nationwide in Market Place, as HSBC is due to close in August.

The branches of NatWest in Market Place, Barclays in Hart Street, Lloyds Bank in Reading Road, the Halifax in Bell Street and Santander in Duke Street have all closed since 2019.

From August the only other banking services in the town will be in-person advice with Barclays at Henley Baptist Church from 9.30am to 1.30pm on Mondays and Thursdays, the Post Office in Reading Road and cash machines for balance enquiries and withdrawals.

Mayor Michelle Thomas said she was worried about the impact that this would have on residents, especially those who don’t bank online or have a car.

She said: “I am aghast at the rapid decline of so-called high street banking in this country since the pandemic. The banks are leaving their customers high and dry.

“There are teenagers who aren’t comfortable with internet banking yet and a lot of parents who don’t want them to be.

“I dread to think how many businesses are affected. My work colleague at Leander Club is having to drive to Maidenhead to do the club’s banking.”

“The banks are missing a trick here as out of sight is out of mind. Who is now going to go to the so-called high street bank to bank?

“I say they should start talking to each other and quickly.”

Banking hubs allow customers from different banks to deposit and withdraw money on different days of the week. Staff from the banks are also available to offer in-person advice and support.

Councillor Stefan Gawrysiak said banks had a responsibility to provide services to their customers and communities.

“I feel that all the banks in Henley that have closed should be providing — at their cost — a banking hub. They should take over a shop and they should staff it. Until the banks responsibly provide a banking hub, we should look unkindly on them selling off or developing their premises.”

Councillor Ian Reissmann said the issue was not limited to Henley and was being faced by towns across the UK.

He believes the council should seek information from other towns where banking hubs have been set up and work with the banks.

He said: “The banking and financial services are a service to the community. We all need to use cash, we need to use financial services that are provided.

“It may change in the way it’s delivered over the next few years as the high street is learning to adapt to the modern way of doing
business.

“We hope the banks will come and talk with us about what they can do to co-operate with each other and with us to help retain an essential service.”

Councillors discussed the issue at a meeting of the town and community committee. Councillor David Eggleton said: “Able-bodied people and some youngsters can do these apps and things like that but I’ve seen quite a few distraught people where they want to talk to someone.

“Some people want a little bit of help with things and they don’t have access to computers.

“There needs to be a hub where all these other banks can come on certain days, so you know on one day it’s Barclays, on another day it’s NatWest, or whatever.

“It’s not ideal but it’s better than what we’ve got now.”

Cllr Reissmann raised the environmental impact of Henley residents having to drive elsewhere to access banking services.

The committee agreed to set up a working group to assess the viability of a banking hub comprising Councillors Thomas, Eggleton, Sarah Miller, Glen Lambert and Will Hamilton.

Cllr Thomas said: “I do hope that local people will join our campaign. And thank you to the Henley Standard for their support.”

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@henleystandard.co.uk