Keynsham banking hub set for permanent home

THE former Halifax branch in Keynsham High Street looks set to become a permanent home for the town’s banking hub.

The Halifax – the town’s last bank – was originally due to close in January this year, but this was delayed until May to allow for a banking hub to be set up.

A temporary hub at MakeSpace on Riverside Square, opposite the leisure centre, was then opened by Cash Access UK, an organisation set up to protect access to cash across the country.

Now Cash Access UK is seeking planning permission from Bath and North East Somerset Council to set up signs, marketing posters and an ATM surround at the vacant Halifax premises at 53 High Street.

A spokesperson for Cash Access UK said plans for a permanent hub were progressing well but that timings could not yet be confirmed.

“The temporary hub at Makespace will remain open until the permanent hub is up and running. Once opened, the permanent hub will offer all the same services as the temporary hub.”

Customers of all major banks can carry out regular cash transactions at MakeSpace on weekdays from 9am to 5pm, including cash withdrawals and deposits, as well as checking balances or paying bills.

The hub also offers a community banker service where customers can talk to their own bank in a private space about more complicated issues on the day their bank is in the hub.

Banks providing services at the hub are Halifax (Monday), NatWest (Tuesday), Lloyds (Wednesday), HSBC (Thursday) and Barclays (Friday).

Cash Access UK is a not-for-profit company owned and funded by major banks, including AIB NI, Bank of Ireland UK, Barclays, Danske Bank, HSBC UK, Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest Group, Santander, TSB and Virgin Money.
It has opened 150 banking hubs throughout the country in the past four years.

Cash Access UK states: “Cash is still important to millions of people in the UK. Between five and six million adults say they rely on cash in their day-to-day lives.

“Digital or online solutions don’t yet work for everyone all the time. We’ve found that banking hubs can make a real difference to individuals, small businesses and the communities they live in.”