AN AREA of Wirral is set to receive a new banking hub following requests from the community.

LINK, the UK’s Cash Access and ATM network, has today (Tuesday, September 20) announced that locals and businesses in Moreton will benefit from banking services due to the addition of a new banking hub in the town.

Banking hubs are a shared banking space, similar to a traditional bank branch, but available to everyone. The hub will consist of a counter service operated by Post Office employees, where customers of any bank can withdraw and deposit cash, make bill payments and carry out regular banking transactions. In addition, there will be private spaces where customers can speak to community bankers from their own bank for more complicated matters that require specialist knowledge or privacy. The banks will be working on a rotating basis, so there will be staff from different banks available on different days.

Councillor Vida Wilson (Moreton West & Saughall Massie Ward, Wirral): “This is fantastic news for Moreton and is a massive vote of confidence in our town. Ever since I was elected in 2022, the lack of day-to-day banking services has been an issue.

"It has been raised time and time again by residents and local shops and businesses. We know that not everyone can use, or wants to use, an app on their phone, and there are also some more complex issues that are best sorted face to face.

“I would like to thank the team at LINK for working with Councillors Colin Baldwin, Gary Bennett and myself, since we first contacted them. We look forward to helping find suitable premises in Moreton for the new banking hub.”

In 2021, the banking industry agreed that following the closure of any bank branch, LINK will identify whether a community requires further cash services. Additionally, any community without a branch can contact LINK directly and ask to be assessed for support.

The banking hub will now be delivered by Cash Access UK. Over the next few weeks, it will begin to engage with the local community and to start looking for potential sites. The hub will likely open at the end of next year.

Chris Ashton, Head of Banking, LINK: “We’re very pleased to recommend a banking hub for Moreton. We know how important access to cash and face-to-face banking services are to communities. The hub will make a real difference when it opens next year.”

Moreton is one of nine locations to be recommended a banking hub today by LINK. These include, Bodmin (Cornwall), Haverhill (Suffolk), Hatfield (Hertfordshire), Royston (Hertfordshire), Batley (West Yorkshire) and Seaham (County Durham). Two further hubs have been recommended following community requests. These are Filey (North Yorkshire) and Wath upon Dearne (South Yorkshire).

There are currently seven banking hubs up and running across the UK including Acton (London), Carnoustie (Angus), Brixham (Devon), Cambuslang (Lanarkshire), Cottingham (East Riding of Yorkshire), Rochford (Essex) and Troon (Ayrshire).