“You don’t want to talk to a robot all the time, you want to talk to a person in front of you who can sort the problem out,” explains Dennis Clarke, voicing his frustration over the closure of yet another bank.
NatWest’s decision to shut its Cheadle branch in February means there is only one bank in the wider area - NatWest in Heald Green - where people can get face-to-face customer service. There are around 40,000 homes across the constituency.
While many have now converted to online banking, Dennis describes the situation as ‘terrible’ - having already seen his nearest Barclays and NatWest branches in Gatley close over recent years. “It’s not really good enough, if you have a problem, how can you sort things out?” questions the 75-year-old - who adds that customers can also face a lengthy wait if they call for advice.
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Local councillors fear for vulnerable residents - particularly the elderly - and small businesses who rely heavily on cash and in-person services. They believe the lack of banking facilities is already having a detrimental impact on the community.
However, there could be an answer to Cheadle’s woes in the form of a new ‘BankHub’ run by LINK - which 'provides UK consumers with universal access to cash in a safe, convenient and rapid manner'. BankHubs are shared spaces on the high street with dedicated rooms, where staff from a different bank are available on each day of the week.
Campaigners want to see a hub of of this type open in Cheadle, potentially at the old NatWest site in Cheadle Village. It’s a solution Dennis thinks could work.
“That sounds good,” he says. “I’m nearly 76 and I have converted to mobile banking but I still need to speak to someone who is not a robot.”
The idea also finds favour with Noreen and Trevor McLean, from Gatley. “I think it’s a very good idea,” says Noreen, 71.
“You can actually go in and talk to somebody if you have a problem and do anything you need to do, rather than trail all over the place. It’s a nuisance having to go to Heald Green, the only way to get to Heald Green is by train if you haven’t got a car - and that’s half an hour."
Trevor makes the point that most people visit banks for more complex matters, such as mortgages, or if they have had a problem with online banking. "But you still want to go to a bank sometimes to sort things out and ask some questions,” he adds.
John McGrory, from Cheadle Hulme, says he is ‘conscious that people should be able to rely on access to a bank’, despite the widespread use of online banking. And while he has adapted to new technology, he thinks the hub would be ‘an excellent idea’.
“If they are all working together then perhaps they can make a go of it, rather than relying on personal customers just for that one bank,” adds the retired civil servant.
Joseph Humadi, 40, from Cheadle, also backs the new hub. “I would be very interested in that, that would be something helpful for everyone, I would like to see something like that,” he says.
“It’s a shame NatWest closed, we used to have a Royal Bank of Scotland, that closed as well - and they are the two banks I used. My dad is disabled and I do a lot of things to look after him. I go to the bank for him and that means [now] I have to travel to Stockport.
LINK, the organisation overseeing the UK's access to cash and banking services, is leading the allocation process and has recently taken community requests - with hubs to open in places such as Heywood, Horwich and Knaresborough.
As part of an agreement between the banks and building societies, LINK identifies whether a community requires further cash services.
Local councillors -from both the Labour and Lib Dem groups - are pushing for a BankHub in Cheadle, launching petitions and calling on residents to make their voices heard.
Coun David Meller recently spoke to LINK's head of financial inclusion and is ‘optimistic’ that ‘the potential is there for something to be done in Cheadle’ - particularly given the strength of feeling.
“If we work together, we could get something done and improve access to banking services locally, as well as further supporting Cheadle Village,” said the Labour councillor.
Coun Tom Morrison said hundreds of people had signed the Lib Dems’ calling for a BankHub in Cheadle. “With only one active bank open in Cheadle constituency, thousands of residents and businesses are having to travel miles at a time to access local banking services,” he said.
“Not only does this mean that access to cash has become harder, but also those residents who rely on face-to-face banking, some of whom are the most vulnerable members of our community, are being left behind during the worst cost-of-living crisis in living memory.”
Coun Morrison added: “A banking hub locally will provide much-needed support for our residents and businesses. It’s a no brainer, and I hope that LINK see this also.”
LINK told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that no decision had been made as yet.
However, Chris Ashton, head of banking services, said: "LINK recognises how important free access to cash and face to face banking services are to high streets across the UK. We are assessing the community request in Cheadle and will report back soon."
The Lib Dems petition can be found here. The Labour petition can be found here.
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