Face to Face Banking Services

Catherine West Excerpts

Thursday 22nd February 2024 Commons Chamber

[Catherine West (Hornsey and Wood Green) (Lab)]

I rise to present this petition on behalf of my constituents in Hornsey and Wood Green, who are angry and disappointed that Barclays bank wishes to close its busy Crouch End branch, barely a year after it closed its Muswell Hill branch. Before that, it closed the Wood Green and Highgate village branches. It must be a world record for four branches of one bank to close in an area. It is deeply disappointing that a bank started off by Quakers in the 1690s has such a poor sense of how to serve its community.

Many of those who signed my petition are older residents. They told me that they feel

“left out and discriminated against”

because they are being pushed online when they want to talk to “people not machines”. A lot said how anxious they were about becoming victims of fraud and how to travel to the next bank would take a round trip of an hour on two buses.

Almost half of all banks across the country that were open in 2015 have closed. That is bad for customers, bad for businesses and bad for our dying high streets, and action needs to be taken.

The petition states:

“The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to act to protect essential in-person banking services.”

Following is the full text of the petition:

[The petition of residents of Hornsey and Wood Green,

Declares that the petitioners are extremely disappointed at the announcement of the closure of Halifax's Muswell Hill branch in November 2023, further notes that bank branches are the heart of communities, and are relied upon by local communities, especially old and disabled people, those who need access to cash and those without internet banking; further notes that they are also vital for local businesses.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to act to protect essential in-person banking services.

And the petitioners remain, etc.]

[P002857]