The days of the high street bank are long gone in Alsager – but a new banking hub has just opened where cash can be withdrawn and deposited, balances can be checked and utilities bills paid.
Alsager’s banking hub, which provides a Post Office counter service, is available at the Civic from 9am-5pm on weekdays.
Banking services have returned to the town centre thanks to Alsager Town Council, which last year submitted a request for such an outlet to Link Scheme Holdings, which aims to make sure that people across the country have access to cash, since so many branches had closed across the country as many of the big companies switched to digital banking.
Town mayor Coun Jane Hearne cut the ribbon to officially open the hub on Wednesday.
Customers of all major banks and building societies can:
• carry out regular cash transactions;
• pay in cash (notes and coins) and cheques;
• withdraw cash (notes and coins);
• check their balance;
• pay utility bills;
• top up gas and electricity; and
• access change-giving services (for registered businesses).
Community banking with the Natwest and Barclays is available on Mondays and Tuesdays.
A not-for-profit company involved in the scheme is Cash Access UK, which is funded by major high street banks to bring banking services for the community back to the high street.
A spokesperson said: “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 and other services can make a real difference to individuals, small businesses and the communities they live in.”
Factors taken into account about the location of banking hubs are not only the services are already available to the community but also the community’s size and age profile, the number of local businesses, the take-up of digital services and the number of people who are likely to rely on cash.
An assessment of cash access in Alsager last year, as part of the application process for a hub, found that with high street banking services no longer available for business and personal customers, the nearest branch was almost five miles away in Tunstall, a bus journey of around 25 minutes.
(Photos: ATC).
