Priti Patel with the Barclays community banking team, from left Stuart Pugh - Customer Care Leader, Terry Staff – Regional Director and Ian Lovelock – Community Banking representative
Priti meets up with Barclays to discuss their new community banking initiative at the Witham Hub
Priti Patel, the MP for Witham called in at the Witham Hub on Wednesday 6th April, to meet local representatives of Barclays Bank to discuss their new community banking initiative, which offers three days per week of non-cash banking services for the public in Witham. These banking sessions, which take place at the Hub on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, allow opportunities for people to seek financial advice, get digital support and help with any queries they may have about their accounts.
With local branches of high street banks beginning to close in many areas, the Barclays flexible banking community initiative is an important link with the public, especially for people without access to the internet or the necessary computer skills required to do their banking on the web.
Commenting on the meeting, Priti said: “I was very interested to hear of the new initiative at the Witham Hub and wanted to find out more about how it works. The closure of branches is always a setback for residents but economic realities mean that we will see more of it in the future, as people convert to doing most of their banking via the internet. The Barclays flexible community banking project is a useful way of softening the blow and maintaining links with the community. I hope that it can be developed and used more widely.”
Stuart Pugh, Customer Care Leader at Barclays Bank said: “We were delighted to show Priti our new community banking hub in Witham and to demonstrate how we’re able to continue to connect with local customers and support their need for financial guidance, but in a new and flexible format.”
The meeting was organised in conjunction with the Witham Hub. Tina Townsend, Chair of the Hub’s board of Trustees said: “We are delighted to be able to provide the facilities for this service to be offered to the community from the Hub. Keeping local people in touch with their banks and giving them access to advice about their accounts, is hugely important.”