THREE branches of NatWest across the Barnsley area are to close as part of the Royal Bank of Scotland group’s closure programme, leaving Penistone without a high street bank.
Branches of NatWest in Hoyland, Penistone and Stocksbridge are among the 259 RBS group branches to go nationally.
A petition was launched in Penistone within hours of the news and councillor Joe Unsworth has vowed to do whatever possible to stop the closure.
“I think we were all just dismayed when we heard the news,” he said. “Some people are fatalistic and say ‘there’s nothing you can do’ but I think we absolutely must try and do whatever possible to stop this.
“I heard some talk about these branches that are closing having about six customers in the course of a week. That’s just rubbish and I know anyone who has ever been into NatWest in Penistone will know there are often queues and I see people waiting outside for it to open.”
The closures of 259 NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland amount to roughly a quarter of all RBS group’s branches and will see the lost of 680 jobs. The bank is 71 per cent owned by taxpayers. Falling footfall to branches amid greater use of online banking was blamed.
Coun Unsworth is himself a customer and has been using the branch for 37 years since he moved to Penistone, but says his primary concerns are for small businesses needing somewhere to regularly bank cash, and for older and vulnerable customers not comfortable or able to use online banking.
“This leaves Penistone without a bank, we’ve got a building society but since HSBC closed, this is the last bank in Penistone.
“The NatWest in Stocksbridge might have been part of the solution, but that’s closing as well, so the nearest NatWest will now be Barnsley.
“It’s going to hit small businesses particularly hard.
“Penistone West Labour Party immediately started the petition and we had a stall in the market on Saturday - whether they supported the Labour Party or not, pretty quickly it was clear everyone wanted to support the petition. The reaction from the public was incredible. Some people were really quite furious.”
Hoyland town centre will be left with just one bank with the closure of NatWest on Market Street.
“I think it is absolutely appalling,” said Coun Robin Franklin. “This is going to absolutely destroy a lot of local small businesses.
“I can accept this argument that we do have a lot more people using online banking, but they’re not thinking about the people who don’t or can’t.
“We’ve lost a lot of Post Offices already, and this is just another nail in the coffin.
“Barnsley Council as an authority is investing a lot of money in Hoyland to keep the town centre vibrant, but NatWest are pulling the plug.
“These banks have been helped out and helped out, and it just seems their turning their backs on the very people who they owe the most. It’s absolutely diabolical.”
Angela Smith, MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said: “The news that RBS intends to close branches in both Penistone and Stocksbridge is devastating for both towns. If these closures go ahead it will mean the nearest bank for most people in Penistone and Stocksbridge is now Chapeltown.
“I will be raising my unhappiness about these closures with the chief executive of RBS and bringing the matter to the attention of ministers."
Stephanie Peacock, MP for Barnsley East, said: “I’m concerned to hear about the proposed closure of the NatWest Bank branch in Hoyland.
“Not only will this result in a loss of jobs, but it will remove a vital community asset that individuals and local businesses depend on.
“Many will now be left without an accessible branch and will be forced to make an extra journey into the town centre if they require personal banking services.
“I urge the RBS group to reconsider this decision, and continue providing the face-to-face services relied upon by so many people in our community.”
