A MEMBER of the SENEDD has launched a petition to create a banking hub in Denbigh.
Llŷr Gruffydd, who represents North Wales in the Senedd, says the petition is an “opportunity to send a powerful message” following a series of branch closures in the town.
The petition has the full support of the Plaid Cymru group of councillors on Denbighshire County Council, who have also been calling for the creation of a banking hub.
Denbigh has been left without a single high street bank after HSBC, Halifax, NatWest and Barclays shut their branches in the last few years.
A wave of branch closures across the UK have led to banking hubs being created so that people can access essential banking services.
The UK’s cash access and ATM network, LINK developed the idea for these hubs but so far they have declined to create one in Denbigh.
A new banking hub was opened in Prestatyn in December 2023 in response to branch closures in the town.
Banking hubs operate in a similar way to traditional bank branches. But the spaces are shared and the hub includes a counter service operated by Post Office staff.
Customers of any bank can withdraw and deposit cash, make bill payments, and carry out regular banking transactions. There is also access free ATMs, and cashback without purchase.
They have private spaces for dealing with more complicated issues. In these customers can speak to a staff member from their own bank.
These banks work on a rotating basis, and this means staff from different banks are available on different days.
Llŷr Gruffydd MS, of Plaid Cymru said: “It’s abundantly clear that there is a real and urgent need for a banking hub in Denbigh, and that’s why I have launched this petition.
“It’s completely unacceptable that the people of the town and the surrounding area have been left without access to the banking services they need.
“This is an opportunity to send a powerful message to LINK who have so far declined to create a banking hub in Denbigh, even though they have done so elsewhere.
“Prestatyn now quite rightly has a banking hub and it is only right that a town the size of Denbigh has one too.
“You often hear this argument wheeled out that people just aren’t using traditional banking services anymore.
“But the fact of the matter is that there are still an awful lot of people locally who rely on using cash. It simply isn’t the case that everyone is moving to online services.”
Denbigh councillor Rhys Thomas, who is the Deputy Leader of Plaid Cymru on Denbighshire County Council, said: “The Plaid Cymru group on Denbighshire County Council fully supports this petition calling for the creation of a new banking hub in Denbigh.
“This is an opportunity for local people to make their voices heard and therefore we are urging as many people as possible to get behind it and make it clear to LINK that there is a significant demand in Denbigh for this vital service.”
The petition can be signed by visiting here.
