Letters: No action on closing banks with that attitude from MP

SIR – With regards to the letter from Jon Ellis, Lymington (14th April ‘Towns in need of banking hubs’) asking councillors and MPs to “kindly keep this in mind”.

Upon learning of the forthcoming closure of the NatWest in Christchurch in August, I emailed my local MP Sir Desmond Swayne indicating the inconvenience and the unfairness to certain members of the public who this would affect more than others.

His reply was most unsympathetic. He pointed out that “banks are not social services” and that he “hadn’t been in a branch in the last 10 years”.

I also pointed out that often when a bank visit was necessary, people combined this with shopping and spending money in the area, keeping the traders happy and solvent and the High Streets alive.

He went on to reply that Bransgore, which some time ago also lost its bank, “quickly adapted and survived”.

But what he didn’t take into consideration was the population there on the whole are very much younger and have been brought up on computers and their use.

So I fear that no matter how loud we shout, with this sort of attitude nothing will be done on the part of councillors and MPs to see to it to set up some sort of accessible hub for all to be able to complete our financial tasks in a way which we are satisfied and can deal with adequately and effectively.

M. Hill

Address supplied

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SIR – Further to my letter you published on 24th March with regard to Barclays closing their branch in Lymington (A&T 'End to 48 years of loyal custom'), I can report further.

I did hot-foot to the building society in Lymington and found changing over was like falling off a log. It's easy.

The building society do all that is necessary to enable a smooth transition.

All the regular payments like direct debits and the like are transferred over a seven-day period.

Incidentally the original six banks in Lymington are now down to three.

Watch this space.

AC Knight

Lymington