Barclays has announced that it will be closing its Station Road branch in Hoveton on December 1, along with the village’s only cash machine. In place of the branch, the bank will be offering a service called Barclays Local, which is a “cashless” banking service that will operate three days a week at the United Reformed Church Hall on Norwich Road. The closure of the branch and the loss of access to cash will have a significant impact on the elderly population and small businesses in the village, according to councillor Nigel Dixon, who represents Hoveton and Tunstead at North Norfolk District Council.
Some of the residents, including 75-year-old John Wilton and 74-year-old Noel and Jean Hicks, expressed their concerns about the closure, stating that they prefer face-to-face banking, especially as many of them are not familiar with digital banking. Noel King, 79, also raised concerns about the removal of the village’s only cash machine. Despite the closure of the branch, Duncan Baker, MP for North Norfolk, has stated that efforts are being made to ensure that the village will still have access to a cashpoint in the future.
The Barclays Local service will be open on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays and will offer assistance with digital banking, financial reviews, balance checks, transfers, and bill payments. Although day-to-day transactions such as cash or cheque deposits and withdrawals can still be done at the Post Office, many residents are worried about the impact that the closure of the branch and the loss of access to cash will have on the community. However, Barclays has announced plans to open 128 Barclays Local sites in 2023, as part of their effort to adapt to changing banking practices.
The closure of the Barclays branch and the loss of the only cash machine in Hoveton has raised concerns among residents, particularly the elderly and small businesses who rely on face-to-face banking and cash transactions. Efforts are being made to ensure that the village will still have access to a cashpoint in the future, and the introduction of the Barclays Local service is seen as a step towards providing continued banking services to the community. Despite the changes, concerns remain about the impact that the closure will have on the residents, particularly those who are not familiar with digital banking and prefer face-to-face interactions when it comes to their banking needs.
