Nearly 400 people signed a newly launched Parliamentary petition in its first two hours, after news that Santander was to close its branch in Helensburgh.
Following news of the second bank to close in the town in the past four years, MP Brendan O’Hara wrote to both Santander and the Post Office to ascertain the likely impact on the town.
As of February 4, the Post Office had indicated to Mr O’Hara that Santander wouldn’t divulge customer numbers, saying it was ‘exceptionally difficult to model the impact…on any given branch without having information on numbers and amount of cash withdrawals’.
Santander responded by referring to the ‘Access to Banking Standard’ and promised to let Mr O’Hara see its second impact assessment as soon as it was published.
Speaking in a debate at Westminster last week, the Argyll and Bute MP said: “To justify the closure of its branch in Helensburgh, Santander’s review said that 59% of its customers have used online banking, mobile banking or telephone banking, which means, by its own calculation, 41% of its customers have not.
On Saturday Mr O’Hara said that one local post office in his constituency had actually run out of money, with local communities being hit by bank closures at a time when people were left cashless by ATM closures.
“After speaking to scores of people on Saturday morning, I am in no doubt at the strength of feeling in the town,” he added.
“We will continue to campaign with this petition and if anyone would like to sign their name, calling on Santander to reverse their decision, they can call into my office on Colquhoun Square and add their names to a growing list.
“Time and again, banks close their doors on the high street and expect the Post Office to simply pick up the slack.
“Online banking and Post Offices are not adequate replacements for Santander’s most vulnerable customers. They do not provide the full range of day-to-day services that a local bank branch offers for businesses, customers, and those that depend on much-valued local employment.
“The UK government must step in and act. It can no longer argue that it cannot intervene.”
Santander’s head of branch interactions Adam Bishop had written to Mr O’Hara saying they had ‘full confidence’ in the Post Office’s ability to cover day-to-day banking needs.
“I appreciate that the decision to close the branch will be disappointing for some customers,” said Mr Bishop.
“I can assure you that the branch team will be actively supporting customers that use the branch regularly to ensure they have alternative ways to bank with us after the branch closes.”
The petition reads:
“The Petitioners request that the House of Commons urges Her Majesty’s Treasury, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Santander to take into account the concerns of the petitioners and take whatever steps they can to halt the planned closure of this branch and/or take steps to mitigate any negative impact from the closure of key high street facilitates in the form of retail banking facilities.”
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