On Friday, 17th July, Anna Firth, MP for Southend West attended the opening of a new, faster banking hub in the Post Office on Broadway West.
Anna had previously campaigned for a face-to-face banking facilities in the House of Commons following the closure of every single high-street bank in the last four years.
Speaking in the House of Commons in December of last year, Anna pointed out that face-to-face banking was especially important in a constituency like Southend West because 40% of over-65s do not bank online and more than a fifth of her constituents are in that age bracket.
Now, however, residents in Leigh-on-Sea will be able to access in-person banking services at a new, faster banking facility within the Post Office opened in partnership with Cash Access UK. This will offer locals free cash withdrawals and free cash deposits along with other banking services which can be accessed with very little queuing.
Anna attended the branch on Friday with Conservative Councillors Nigel Folkard (Chalkwell) and Bernard Arscott (Highlands) to meet employees and see the new facility which includes a state-of-the art note counting machine.
The banking facility in Leigh was supported by investment from Cash Access UK’s who are overseeing pilots run in 16 communities where LINK, the UK’s cash access and cash machine network, has identified the need for enhanced cash deposit services following a bank branch closure.
Following the visit, Anna said:
“I am absolutely delighted to have been in Leigh to see the new in-person banking facility at the Post Office. Having campaigned in Parliament on the specific issue of the lack of face-to-face banking following the closure of our high-street banks, it’s great to see this now resolved.
“More than a fifth of my constituents are over-65 so its hugely important to me that their needs are met and they have all the access to facilities that they need. In-person banking is certainly one of these as 40% of over-65s do not use any sort of online banking and more than one fifth use cash for all their transactions. That’s why it was vital to restore face-to-face banking and why this announcement is particularly good news here in Southend West!
“It was a pleasure to meet with some of the hard-working people at the Post Office and I look forward to seeing the positive impact that this new facility will have on our community.”
