Rural bank branch closures

North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has told bank bosses that customers must not be punished for living in rural areas after it was revealed that two branches in the area are set to close.

The Lib Dem MP has raised her concerns with managers at Barclays and Halifax and organised a meeting to make sure the banks put face-to-face provisions in place to fully support customers when the branches close.

Barclays is shutting its Market Drayton bank on October 6 and Halifax is shutting its branch in Whitchurch on November 17.

Helen Morgan MP said: “It’s very disappointing to learn that yet another bank is closing a branch in North Shropshire and stripping our town centres of vital services.

“Customers must not be punished for living in rural areas so it is down to the banks to make sure they can still access the services they need without having to travel.

“Therefore it’s really important that banks put plans in place to help those affected both in the short and long term. I will be speaking to Halifax and Barclays to stress the importance of this and will make it clear that only providing temporary on-the-ground support is not good enough.

“While many of us now use online banking it is often the most vulnerable people who suffer the most as a result of branch closures and their needs must be catered for.

“Whitchurch and Market Drayton will soon only have three banks between them and Wem has long been without any bank. Businesses need to be able to access cash and deposits and it is down to banks to make sure they provide these services in every town.”