Following the news that Lloyds Bank has joined the exodus of banks from Pershore, West Worcestershire MP, Harriett Baldwin has welcomed the intervention of the financial regulator, the FCA, to guarantee banking services in the area ensuring that the people of Pershore still have access to banking services.
Link, which runs the cashpoint network of the same name, has the responsibility to support communities left without any high street bank, will find a site to locate a banking hub run by representatives of all of the major banks.
After Harriett's intervention, the FCA replied to her to confirm that it has contacted Lloyds Bank to ensure that they follow the guidelines as they close their branch and that they will take into account local people's views and protect vulnerable people. It was also confirmed that the Lloyds branch will stay open until next May.
Harriett said: "I wrote to the FCA because I was concerned that there was a risk that Pershore people would be left without any local banking capability. I'm fully supportive of the concept of a banking hub, but time is marching on and I wanted to be clear that Lloyds won't disappear until an alternative plan is in place."
