DROITWICH has celebrated the opening of a banking hub after public pressure followed the closure of all the town’s bank branches.
A special opening ceremony for the hub on St Andrews Square was held last Friday (January 9), where local dignitaries and the key players behind its opening were in attendance.
Banking hubs are high street banks working together to bring shared cash and banking services to the community.
The Droitwich hub offers all normal banking services, except for foreign exchange, which is at the post office, and each national bank is on hand at the hub one day a week for further banking discussions.
Droitwich Spa was recommended for a banking hub after news that its last remaining bank branch, Santander, would be closing.
Banking hubs are operated by Cash Access UK and the Post Office and are assessed for eligibility by LINK, which runs the nation’s cashpoint network.
They protect residents and business owners’ right to access to cash and other financial banking services when retail banks shut up shop in local communities.
Droitwich MP Nigel Huddleston said: “With the recent closures of several bank branches, this hub brings essential face-to-face banking services back into the town, supported by familiar bank names all under one roof.
“This has been a real community effort, and my thanks go to the Droitwich Spa Place Board, town, district and county councillors, Cash Access UK and the banks involved for working so hard to make it happen.
“It’s important that residents and businesses use the hub so these vital services are here for the long term.”
Coun Dan Birch, who was at the banking hub opening, added: “Well done to the whole Droitwich Spa community, who have made this happen.
“It was thanks to the level of public pressure that all of you helped apply that this has happened.
“There is a minimum 10-year lease, so we have a guarantee that there will be banking facilities in the town for at least the next decade.”
