Temporary banking hub opens at library in Hessle

Another banking hub has opened in East Yorkshire.

The temporary facility at Hessle Library and Community Centre has been opened by Cash Access UK – an organisation set up to protect access to cash.

It offers a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks can carry out regular cash transactions.

Cash Access UK said the hub was open from Monday to Friday and would remain available until a new permanent banking hub opened.

Figures from consumer association Which? show more than 6,000 bank branches have closed over the past nine years, leaving many places with no banks at all and limited access to cash.

Under rules introduced in September, banks and building societies must now assess whether an area has reasonable access to cash before they close a branch.

If not, they will need to provide more facilities, such as shared hubs, before closing a branch.

The temporary hub in Hessle has weekly visits by staff from TSB, Santander, NatWest and Barclays, giving customers of those banks the chance to discuss more complicated issues.

Staff from Lloyds and Halifax are due to visit weekly from November and December respectively.

There are now four hubs open in East Yorkshire, with the others in Cottingham, Hornsea and Withernsea.

Gareth Oakley, CEO of Cash Access UK said: "With the opening of the new temporary banking hub in Hessle, I am delighted to say that local residents can now access cash and face-to-face banking services once again.

"We are working hard to secure a permanent home for the hub and hope to provide an update to the community soon."

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