An MP has challenged the decision not to create a banking hub for a town facing the loss of its last high street branch.
Nusrat Ghani, MP for Sussex Weald, has appealed against an assessment by LINK that Crowborough does not require a banking hub, following the planned closure of the last remaining bank on Crowborough high street. LINK is responsible for evaluating cash access needs and recommending locations for new banking hubs, which are then delivered by Cash Access UK.
Ms Ghani said: "Ever since Lloyds announced that they would be closing their branch, I have been inundated with emails letting me know how this will impact the daily lives of Crowborough residents. As soon as I heard about the news, I launched my survey which received hundreds of useful responses that helped me put the case forward to LINK. I am grateful to everybody submitted a response on how this decision will impact them personally. By working closely with the Crowborough Town Council Mayor, Cllr Natalie Whittle and the Crowborough Chamber of Commerce, I reflected the needs and feelings of local residents and businesses in my appeal and now it has been submitted, the onus is on LINK to better assess the needs of our community and reconsider their decision. I will update residents as soon as I have had a response."
LINK’s original assessment, published on February 11, concluded that Crowborough would have "adequate cash facilities" even after Lloyds closes in June. Lloyds is the last remaining bank on Crowborough high street.
Ms Ghani, who began working on the appeal alongside Cllr Natalie Whittle, Crowborough Town Council Mayor and the Crowborough Chamber of Commerce, said LINK underestimated the number of businesses relying on cash services.
She argued that the assessment had overlooked traders in nearby Jarvis Brook.
Ms Ghani has also held meetings with LINK and Cash Access UK in recent weeks to better understand the basis of their decision.
With an appeal now underway, LINK is required to conduct a reassessment of Crowborough’s cash access needs, taking into account the number of businesses dependent on cash and the availability of ATMs for residents and visitors.
The original article is available here.
