Nick criticises Barclays for withdrawing Post Office cash facility

Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert has strongly criticised Barclays Bank for its  decision to prevent its customers from making cash withdrawals at Post Office counters from January, describing the move as “completely unacceptable”.

Barclays’ customers have previously been advised to use their local Post Office as an alternative when bank branches have closed, a service which the MP believes is essential.

When bank branches began to close in villages Mr Herbert lobbied to ensure that a full range of banking services could be made available through the Post Offices, an agreement which he says Barclays have now reneged on.

Mr Herbert’s Arundel & South Downs constituency has one of the highest percentages of banking network losses.  Which! reported a loss of 75 per cent since 2015.  In fact, the latest figure is now far higher with just one bank branch remaining in the whole constituency, in Storrington, after Lloyds Bank closed in the village last week.  All the other villages are now reliant on Post Office services. 

Mr Herbert said: ”I understand why bank branches were closed, with the rise of internet banking, but businesses and the elderly especially still need local banking facilities.

“The banking services provided by the Post Offices are now essential, often the only ones left in our villages, and banks – including Barclays – should be required to offer a full range of services through them”.

The MP plans to raise the issue with Barclays Bank and ministers this week, as well as calling for a Commons debate.

ENDS 

Notes  

1.    To read the Which! report ‘Bank branch closures’ published September 2019 see https://tinyurl.com/y273no28.