- By Emily Coady-Stemp
- BBC News, South East
Image source, Cash Access UK
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt (centre) at the opening of the banking hub in High Street, Haslemere
A banking hub where customers can get face-to-face help from staff opened in Haslemere on Friday.
The hub was set up by Cash Access UK, a not-for-profit firm owned by nine banks including Barclays, HSBC and Lloyds.
A counter service will be run by the Post Office and different banks will rotate on set days of the week.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, MP for South West Surrey, attended the opening, calling it “excellent news” for the town.
The community banker service at the hub, in the High Street, will allow customers to talk to their own bank about more complicated issues.
Barclays will operate on Mondays, NatWest on Tuesdays, Lloyds on Wednesdays, HSBC on Thursdays and Santander on Friday mornings.
The last bank to close its doors in the town was Lloyds in November 2021.
Following a request from Haslemere Town Council, a banking hub was agreed for the town, and it has now been launched with a free-to-use cash machine.
A spokesperson for the town council said: “The council is delighted that Haslemere’s banking hub is now fully operational.
“We are especially pleased to be the first hub with a separate, external ATM.
“We are acutely aware of the issues the lack of access to banking and cash in the town centre has caused our residents, and we have lobbied hard to get this much needed facility provided.”
Cash Access UK was set up to protect access to cash across the country, and is funded by Bank of Ireland, Barclays, Danske Bank, HSBC UK, Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest Group, Santander, TSB and Virgin Money.
Mr Hunt said: “This is excellent news for residents of Haslemere – face-to-face banking still has a role to play and I am delighted after all the discussion and negotiation that we have secured this for the town.”
