Another bank is planning to close its doors in Ellesmere Port

Another bank is planning to close its doors for good in Ellesmere Port, the town’s angry MP has been told.

Barclays on Whitby Road will be shutting down on Thursday, March 2, 2023 – six months after the doors of HSBC on the same stretch of road closed for the last time as part of the bank’s ‘transformation programme’.

The latest announcement has been slated by Ellesmere Port MP Justin Madders who said: “This is yet another blow for the town in the wake of a series of unsuccessful ‘levelling up’ financial aid bids by Cheshire West and Chester Council to the Government for much-needed investment in and around Ellesmere Port.”

As was the case with HSBC, customers are being advised that they can visit branches in either Chester or Birkenhead to carry out their banking transactions.

David Bruce, head of Corporate Relations, Central Region, says in a letter to the MP: “We have identified that in total just two regular customers use this branch exclusively for their banking and do not interact with us in other ways.

“We appreciate not all of our customers will adopt change at the same pace and we would like to underline our commitment to supporting our vulnerable customers through this change.”

But Mr Madders said he had contacted Barclays to express concern that customers were being dissuaded from using the counter service which he felt was going to be used as a justification for closure.

“They need to maintain a physical presence in the town centre,” the MP said. “And the Government needs to insist that banks maintain a presence on the nation’s high streets.”

Mr Bruce continued in his letter: “The decision to close a branch is never an easy one. However, the way people bank today is unrecognisable from 50 years ago when almost every banking transaction took place in a branch.

“Now, that number is less than 10 per cent, and we need to make sure that we are providing our services in ways that best reflect customers’ needs, including outside of traditional branch formats.

“This ongoing change in behaviour means we are seeing a sustained fall in customer transactions across our network and this is reflected at the Ellesmere Port branch where there has been a 67 per cent reduction in counter transactions in the last 12 months, compared to the 12 months to March 2020.

“In addition, we can identify that 93 per cent of our customers at the branch are using alternative ways to undertake their banking, including via the telephone, online and mobile app.”

Mr Bruce added: “Although the branch is closing we will still have an active presence in the community. We plan to provide additional face-to-face access for banking services via one of our community locations – from the point of closure. Further details, including the timings and the location of the ‘Barclays Local’ site, will be communicated to our regular customers in the coming weeks.

“Despite the branch closure we are confident access to banking remains sufficient in the local community. Everyday transactions can be completed at any Post Office, with the closest located at Wellington Road, a short distance away.

“There are over 25 free-to-use ATMs within one mile, the nearest being NatWest located at 86 Whitby Road.”

Mr Madders replied: “A vague assurance is no good with post office closures planned in the area as well.”

Pictured - Barclays Bank in Ellesmere Port.