Statement from Torfaen MP Paul Murphy and AM Lynne Neagle on the news that HSBC have announced the closure of their Blaenavon branch in May:
“We are both dismayed at HSBC’s decision to close their Blaenavon branch. As the last major bank in the town, they have a responsibility to provide services to their Blaenavon customers, who rely on them for their day-to-day banking needs. Blaenavon people have been loyal to HSBC for decades – HSBC should now repay that loyalty, not cut and run.”
“We’ve sought an urgent meeting with HSBC, which will be held on Friday [27th January]. At that meeting, we’ll ask them to explain their decision. We’ll state our view that they should reconsider, but we’ll also press them to commit to looking at alternative ways of providing banking services in the town, including the option of sharing a facility. We’ll ask them about the cashpoints that we know a lot of older residents rely on to draw out their pension money. HSBC should realise the special status of Blaenavon as a World Heritage Town visited by large numbers of tourists. They should also recognise that it’s not as easy for local residents in Blaenavon to travel to banks in other towns as it may seem to them by looking at a map in an office.”
“As soon as we heard this news, we also contacted the Campaign for Community Banking Services, who informed us that this is a concerning pattern that has been seen in other areas of Wales and elsewhere in the UK, with banks closing branches and leaving towns without banking facilities. We’ll continue to voice the concerns of local people on this issue. Concerned residents are welcome to contact our offices to speak with us about it.”
