Bank closure ‘will really cause problems for some people’
A 'for sale' sign hangs on the side of a building that was once a central part of the community.
The former NatWest branch on 44 Heaton Moor Road in Stockport closed in June, along with other branches across the country.
Although many people have got used to doing all their banking online, there are some who still prefer to walk into a branch and speak to a staff member in person.
The NatWest branch closure was flagged as a concern during a meeting at Stockport town hall in April, where Coun David Sedgwick said it would create a 'banking desert'.
"This is a huge loss for residents and businesses who rely on in-person banking and face-to-face financial services," he said at the time.
One of the ideas put forward to solve the issue was a banking hub.
A banking hub was set up in Bramhall last year, offering a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks and building societies can carry out regular cash transactions.
It also offers a community banker service, where customers can talk to their own bank about more complicated issues on the day their bank is in the hub.
The Stockport town-hall meeting in April asked the council to look into whether a banking hub could also be opened in the north of Stockport.
Some people living around Heaton Moor Road agreed the closure of the NatWest branch is an issue, saying it is a huge loss for the neighbourhood, while others were less concerned.
"It was fantastic to have it, it made a real difference and it was always really busy," said Nena Joseph, 63.
"The closure will have a big impact, there were people who used it for advice and help. I think it will really cause problems here for some people."
Another resident, Shevonne Hall, added: "There are a lot of older people who live around here and it will massively affect them. My mum is 89 and would rather go to a bank than online.
"I use NatWest, I didn't use this branch very often, but I don't where the nearest one is now. Stockport [town centre] isn't a million miles away though."
Just down the road, resident Anna said: "The branch was always full. People do rely on banks. There's absolutely nothing now."
Others were less convinced about the loss of the branch, and said times had moved on from brick-and-mortar banking.
They pointed out that many everyday banking services can be done in the post office now, such as withdrawing cash.
Some businesses on Heaton Moor Road also said they don't have many people paying with cash anymore, and had no need for a physical place nearby to deposit money.
Sharon works at Back's Deli, and said the business hadn't been affected by the closure.
"We do everything online, but it has affected residents in the area and some other businesses," she said.
"It's the last bank here, and some people can't always get to Stockport."
Another business owner said the issue has had a bigger impact on the elderly people living in the area, and that most residents were not concerned about the loss.
That view was shared by some neighbours who spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service about the issue.
Greg Lynch, 35, said: "I do most of my banking online but I know some people need to use a bank in person. They could do with a banking hub which is more community based. I think it would be good for this area, and deprived areas too."
Rob Hodgkinson, 48, added: "There are a lot of people that did their banking there and things like paying cash in. But things are changing, it's weird to see a bank on a high street these days, and I think a lot of people around here would have their own financial advisor anyway.
"But it was good to go in and speak to people about these things. There are a lot of older people who do their banking at the Post Office now instead. A banking hub would be a good idea for the area."
At the council meeting in April, Cllr Sedgwick urged NatWest to rethink its decision to close the branch, and said action needed to be taken to stop some in the community facing financial exclusion.
Reddish North Cllr Holly McCormack also raised concerns at the meeting, saying the Heaton Moor Road NatWest branch is a vital service for many in the neighbourhood.
"We have a lot of elderly people in Reddish and that was a lifeline for them, losing our last bank is something that we don't want to see happening," she added.
Before the NatWest branch closure, the bank was advising its customers who use the Heaton Moor Road branch that the nearest alternative could be found in Stockport town centre, more than two miles away, as well as branches in Didsbury and Chorlton.
Residents living in the community made clear that although the loss of the bank was not an issue for some, others have struggled without access to the services it offered.
A NatWest spokesperson said: "As we adapt our services to meet changing needs we may take the difficult decision to close or consolidate some of our branches.
"While we know that this is disappointing, we have carefully considered how best to invest to make sure we have a sustainable network for the future. We consider each branch individually and review a wide range of factors, including but not limited to, impact on customers, the level of financial vulnerability in the area, the nearest available branch, Banking Hub, Post Office and free ATMs and regular transport links.
"We're committed to ensuring the transition of UK banking services on to digital platforms is managed compassionately and we recognise that some people still need help to adapt, particularly our vulnerable customers. We are also committed to supporting our elderly customers, with almost half of over 70s with active current accounts now accessing digital banking.
"Our customer support specialists proactively contact branch users who we know may need additional support when a branch closes and where there's a need we install community pop-ups to help customers become familiar with alternative banking services.
"Digital banking continues to provide new and inclusive ways of allowing the overwhelming majority of our individual and business customers, including the elderly and vulnerable, to bank with us in ways that they weren't able to before.
"But we know that a small number of people are not yet comfortable with it, which is why we are proactively reaching out to support them with this transition, having made over 200,000 calls last year. We also have experts that they can speak to for support and guidance."
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