News
19 new banking hubs recommended by LINK
- New hubs recommended across all four nations of the UK
- LINK has now recommended 224 hubs across the country
- 128 hubs are up and running as of this week
LINK has today confirmed 19 new locations which can expect to see a shared banking hub open on the local High Street in the future. The new hubs follow the announcement of the closure of 95 branches of Santander. LINK has now recommended 224 hubs as it continues to assess cash access across the country. The Government has committed to delivering 350 banking hubs over the course of this Parliament.
Banking hubs are a shared banking space, similar to a traditional bank branch, but available to everyone. When opened, the hub will consist of a counter service operated by Post Office employees, where customers of any bank can withdraw and deposit cash, make bill payments and carry out regular banking transactions. In addition, there will be private spaces where customers can speak to community bankers from their own bank for more complicated matters that require specialist knowledge or privacy. The banks will be working on a rotating basis, so there will be staff from different banks available on different days.
Since 2022, LINK has assessed the closure of 1,879 bank branch closures, and continues to receive community requests from across the country.
John Howells, CEO, LINK, said: “Banking hubs continue to prove popular, and we’re delighted to announce 19 new locations that will benefit from their services in the future. The hubs will make a real difference for the millions of people who still rely on cash. We’re committed to keeping cash on the high street, and will continue recommending banking hubs where they are needed.”
The list of locations that can expect to see a banking hub is as follows:
- Bexhill-on-Sea (East Sussex)
- Billericay (Essex)
- Dover (Kent)
- Droitwich (Worcestershire)
- Dunstable (Beds)
- East Grinstead (West Sussex)
- Holyhead (Isle of Anglesey)
- Ilkley (West Yorkshire)
- Larne (Antrim, NI)
- Maldon (Essex)
- Morley (West Yorkshire)
- North Walsham (Norfolk)
- Redcar (North Yorkshire)
- Saffron Walden (Essex)
- St Annes on Sea (Lancashire)
- Turriff (Aberdeenshire)
- Uckfield (East Sussex)
- Urmston (Great Manchester)
In addition, LINK has announced a 19th banking hub location in Tonbridge (Kent), following a successfully appealed community request.
The hubs will now be delivered by Cash Access UK. To date, 139 banking hubs are up and running.