Bank closures cutting off lifelines: councillors

WIDESPREAD bank branch closures are affecting many parts of South Gloucestershire “severing lifeline services” according to Tory councillors.

- ALEX SEABROOK

Both villages and suburban areas of the district have seen branches and Post Offices disappear, leaving people without access to crucial services.Conservative councillors tabled a motion which called for action on the cash crisis. While a few positive examples exist in South Gloucestershire, like a mobile Post Office every Friday morning in a village, thousands of people are struggling to access basic banking.

The motion called on South Gloucestershire Council to explore how these services can be kept open.

One example is that buildings owned by the council could be turned into banking hubs. Without in-person banking, local shops can suffer as residents struggle to access cash.