Earlestown residents react to 'banking hub' for town centre

An application was submitted by Newton-le-Willows councillors to assess a possible banking hub for Earlestown, with ATM network Link recommending the town centre receive the new deposit service.

Banking hubs are a shared banking space on the high street, with dedicated rooms where customers can see community bankers from their own bank.

Bank branches in the town centre have all shut down with the closure restricting access to banks and cash machines for customers and businesses.

READ > Earlestown set to become 'banking hub' to boost cash network

The Star spoke to locals and business owners about their thoughts on a banking hub for Earlestown. 

Barry Edmondson, a local pensioner, currently has to commute to St Helens to make transactions at Barclays bank, however, with the St Helens branch closing, he’s left with fewer options. 

He said: "For some reason, I can only use my card at a Barclays machine. I’m having to go to the Post Office here but they don’t accept it because it’s a savings account.

"It would be great if they could get one here; it’s an inconvenience to me now as I have to go out of town to get my pension.

"This banking hub will hopefully help me out a bit."

Anita Parkinson added: "Having a hub would be a good thing I think because at the moment we don’t have a bank at all and if I want to do anything I have to go to Warrington or St Helens.

"It would be good for the pensioners as well because they need a bus to get to Warrington or St Helens. "

Anita believes a banking hub would benefit the town centre (Image: St Helens Star)

Ken Punshon, owner of Crumpet’s Café, shared his views as a business owner.

He said: "It’s got to be the best thing ever. I’m with Barclays, and the St Helens one is shutting so I have to go to Warrington to bank for the café.

"Earlestown’s very much a cash town, but those who do need to use a machine will struggle. They got to go searching for a machine, and people would rather not."

Driving instructor Ian Boase told the Star it's been "difficult" without a bank nearby. 

He said: "I’ve got a local driving school here and it’s difficult if there are no banks nearby because then you have to try to fit it in between lessons and it takes a lot of time, especially if you have to travel to the likes of St Helens.

"When they closed Lloyds, it became such a pain. We do need a bank nearby."

62-year-old Carole Jump and her daughter Suzanne Stephenson, 39, are happy about a banking hub recommended for Earlestown, as Carole struggles to travel outside of town due to caring for her sons.

Carole said: "It’s a good idea, people need it, especially with all the banks closing.

"I can’t go to St Helens as I need to stay up here because I have two boys with autism and one with epilepsy."

John Coleman, owner of John Hair and Barbers on Bridge Street, has been in business for 53 years and has noticed a decline in the town centre's footfall due to banks closing. 

John said: "It’s essential. The area around is massive and there’s not one bank. It’s killed a lot of the footfall on the street and has made the town centre quieter because people were coming to bank, then after banking were shopping.

"We are missing the footfall which is affecting the businesses as well."

John has had his barber shop on Bridge Street for 53 years (Image: St Helens Star)

Barber Stephen McNally added: "Having no banks here is dragging the footfall to St Helens because if you need to go to the bank, you end up doing your shopping in St Helens rather than coming back to Earlestown, so it’s pushing people out of the area, and the footfall here is going because of that."

John and Stephen believe a banking hub would increase the footfall in Earlestown (Image: St Helens Star)

Christopher Reeve, a local postman, has lived in Earlestown all his life and believes a banking hub would complement the regeneration of the town centre. 

Christopher said: "It would definitely be helpful, it’s a dying thing carrying cash.

"The regeneration of Earlestown is a great thing; this town has been neglected over the years. It’s a very historical town."

Christopher has lived in Earlestown all his life and is happy improvements are being done for the town (Image: St Helens Star)

Pauline Johnson was positive about the recommendation for a banking hub in Earlestown.

She said: "We need something here. I do a lot for one lady in particular, she’s 84, and I have to take her to St Helens to the bank.

Pauline believes a banking hub would be beneficial for Earlestown (Image: St Helens Star)

"Everybody’s struggling when it comes to money, and I think because of this recession that we’re in, more and more people are going back to cash."