Nusrat Ghani, MP for Sussex Weald, is actively campaigning for a banking hub in Crowborough following the news that Lloyds Bank, the town's last remaining high street branch, will close on 9 June 2026.
Current Campaign Status
- Assessment Challenge: Ghani is currently challenging a decision by LINK (the body that assesses banking needs), which recently concluded that Crowborough does not meet the criteria for a banking hub.
- Recent Meetings:
- She held an urgent meeting with Cash Access UK on 24 February 2026 to discuss the process of setting up a hub, citing the successful Hailsham Banking Hub as a model.
- She met with LINK on 26 February 2026 to push for a reassessment and to understand the specific evidence required for a successful appeal.
- Community Appeal: Ghani is urging local residents and businesses to share their experiences of how the lack of in-person banking impacts them. This evidence is being collected via her official website to strengthen the case for a hub.
Background and Impact
- Branch Closures: The closure of Lloyds follows the previous losses of Barclays and Santander, leaving the town with no traditional bank presence.
- Demographic Need: Data indicates that nearly 700 people regularly use the Crowborough Lloyds branch, with more than half of these users being over the age of 55.
- Proposed Solution: A banking hub would provide a shared space for cash withdrawals, deposits, and rotating face-to-face support from various major banks.
The original article is available here.
