Longridge Banking Hub is now up and running at 19-21 Berry Lane.
Cash Access UK, which is funded by the major high street banks, officially opened the hub last Friday (29 May), with Maya Ellis, MP for the Ribble Valley, attending to cut the ribbon.
Customers of all major banks can visit the hub any weekday between 9am-5pm to carry out regular transactions including cash withdrawals and deposits, as well as checking balances or paying bills.
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The hub also offers a community banker service where customers can talk to their own bank in a private space about more complicated issues.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, community bankers will be available from Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, while on Thursdays Natwest will offer this service. There will be no community banker on Tuesday or Fridays.
The operators of the Banking Hub will be Heran Desai alongside his wife Helna.
Longridge Banking Hub was recommended by LINK, the UK’s ATM network, following a community request. While the site for the permanent hub was being refurbished, a hub was opened at a temporary location at Longridge Civic Hall. This location has now closed.
There are now 12 hubs open in Lancashire, with two set to open soon in Ormskirk and Skelmersdale.
Gareth Oakley, chief executive of Cash Access UK, said: “I’m happy to announce the opening of our Longridge hub, ensuring crucial access to cash and face-to-face banking services for residents and businesses across the community.
“The way we bank and pay for things is changing, which is why we are rolling out solutions including banking hubs, as well as deposit ATMs, that help small businesses to readily bank cash.
“Customers can visit any day of the week for their everyday banking transactions, and if you have a specific or more complex enquiry for your bank, a community banker will be there to help on the day they’re in the hub. A huge thank you to the team at Longridge Civic Hall for hosting us while we searched for this permanent home.”
Maya Ellis MP said: “This long-awaited service offering face-to-face banking will be a huge asset to the community in Longridge and the surrounding areas. I opened my first bank account as a teenager in Longridge and I know it’s important for people in this area to have access to cash and banking services local to them.
“Cash Access, which provided the hub following a request from the community, told me that, from their experience, banking hubs encourage people to stay and shop in the high street, boosting other businesses.
“It was lovely to join Banking Hub operator Heran Desai and his wife, Helna Desai, who will be running the hub in this beautiful building for the official opening and to chat to representatives of the banks and customers who will be using it.”
