Lancashire's first banking hub opens in Barnoldswick

A county's first banking hub has officially opened in a town centre.

Customers of all major banks and building societies can use the hub in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, to carry out cash transactions.

It also offers a community banker service where customers can talk to a representative from their bank about more complicated issues.

Representatives of a number of different banks are available at the hub each day between Monday and Friday.

There are 38 banking hubs currently open across the UK. Two others in Lancashire are currently in development, in Darwen and Great Harwood.

Barnoldswick's hub is located in the Bank Buildings on Skipton Road in the town centre.

Councillor Chris Church from Barnoldswick Town Council and Pendle Borough Council said the opening of the banking hub was "very important for the local community".

"People have missed the banks that have gone. Everybody's had to go out of town. Many people have found it difficult to travel, so to have this here is a great thing," Mr Church said.

Cash Access UK, the organisation set up to protect nationwide access to cash, has been involved in the process too.

Mark Inch from the organisation said the opening of the first hub in Lancashire was "a fantastic achievement".

"It's been 12 months on-the-go. It's going to be the first one of many in Lancashire. There are another dozen sites on the way," Mr Inch told BBC Lancashire. "Bringing cash back to the local community is fantastic".

Andrew Stephenson, MP for Pendle, said the opening of the banking hub was "a great asset to the town".

"Local people were distraught when the last bank in the town, Barclays, closed last year. We're delighted that there are five different banks now working together, protecting access to cash here in the town."

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