Cash Access UK, the organisation set up to protect nationwide access to cash, has today confirmed the new Banking Hub in Prestatyn will open at 4pm on Thursday 7th December.
Prestatyn’s Banking Hub is located at 35 High Street and will be officially opened by Dr James Davies MP. He will be joined by the Paymaster General, the Rt Honourable John Glen MP, who played a key role to help pass legislation in the UK Parliament to protect access to cash.
The Banking Hub will offer a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks and building societies can carry out regular cash transactions, Monday to Friday. The Banking Hub also offers a Community Banker service where customers can talk to their own bank about more complicated issues.
The Prestatyn Banking Hub will be open Monday to Friday between 9am-5pm and the Community Bankers will work on rotation, with a different bank or building society available on each day of the week:
Monday: Halifax
Tuesday: NatWest
Wednesday: Barclays
Thursday: Santander
Friday: HSBC
Banking Hubs are being opened across the UK and are funded and supported by nine major high street banking providers: Bank of Ireland UK, Barclays Bank UK PLC, Danske Bank, HSBC UK Bank plc, Lloyds Banking Group, Natwest Group plc, Santander UK plc, TSB Bank plc and Virgin Money.
Like many locations across Wales, as more customers are choosing to bank and pay for things digitally, Prestatyn’s final bank branch closed several years ago. Following a community request led by Dr James Davies MP, a Banking Hub was recommended by LINK, the UK’s cash access and cash machine network.
This is the first to open in Wales, with a further seven in the pipeline in Welshpool, Abergele, Abertillery, Morriston, Porthcawl, Risca and Treorchy. The Hub in Welshpool is due to open by the end of the year.
Gareth Oakley, CEO at Cash Access UK said:
“This is great news for Prestatyn. We’re really pleased to open Wales’s first Banking Hub. It’ll make a real difference to local businesses and residents.
Dr James Davies, MP for Vale of Clwyd/Dyffryn Clwyd, said:
“The opening of a Banking Hub in Prestatyn will be warmly welcomed by thousands of people in the area.
“Last year, I led discussions with LINK to highlight Prestatyn’s need for face-to-face banking facilities, following the rapid closure of several High Street bank branches and I put the town forward for consideration of a Banking Hub. I would like to thank LINK, with whom I have since worked extensively, for their recommendation of a Hub, and Cash Access UK for delivering this for the town.
“It is a particular pleasure to welcome the Rt Hon John Glen MP to officially open the new facility. His role in translating public concern over access to cash and banking services into the legislation, which will help ensure the Banking Hub concept goes from strength to strength, is truly appreciated.”
The Rt Hon John Glen, MP for Salisbury and Paymaster General, said:
“I am delighted to see Prestatyn benefit from a Banking Hub - this was a project I was very supportive of as Economic Secretary and I am visiting to applaud my colleague James Davies MP who was a tenacious and powerful campaigner for Prestatyn - I hope the hub will be a much-valued resource for local residents.”
If you would like to know more about the Banking Hubs please contact: [email protected]
