Deeside AM says HSBC has a responsibility to Flintshire communities as 3 branches get set to close

Alyn and Deeside AM Carl Sargeant has written to HSBC bosses expressing his disappointment, and the concerns of Flintshire constituents following the announcement the bank is to close three branches in the county.

HSBC has said it will close it’s Ewloe, Flint and Caergwrle branches due what they say are declining numbers of customers using the bank branches.

A letter outlining the planned closures has been sent out by HSBC branch managers to customers in Flintshire in the past few days.

FACEBOOK COMMENT: That branch has never been so busy since they closed Buckley so to suggest it’s due to a decline in the amount of people using it is utter rubbish! Now everybody will swamp the Shotton branch after they have suffered the traffic congestion that is already at bursting point at times there. Really thought about locations of branches haven’t they!
HSBC have closed Hawarden, Buckley, Queensferry & now Flint, Ewloe and Caergwle!

HSBC at St Davids Park Ewloe will close on Friday 11 November 2016, Flint’s branch is also set to close on the same date while Caergwrle will close on 9th December.  

In response to the news of the closures AM Carl Sargeant said:

“I’m disappointed that these branches are earmarked for closure and am writing to HSBC to tell them so,”

I’m aware that the way people bank is changing but banks have a role to play in their communities and a responsibility towards them.

There will be several people who are ill-equipped or unable to afford the resources to get online or do telephone banking left in the lurch.

They will be relying on public transport or relatives to take them several miles to another branch, costing them time and money and undermining their independence.

There are also significant business communities in Ewloe, Flint and Caergwrle who will now find it difficult to get floats and pay in takings.”

HSBC’s decision to close the Flintshire branches comes only weeks after Lloyds shut the doors on its Hawarden branch for the final time leaving many residents angry.

“We continually review our branch network to make sure our branches are in the right locations for our customers and we have a sustainable network for the future.

Over the past five years, we have seen an overall reduction in footfall at our branches of more than 40%, and sometimes we have to make the difficult decision to close branches.

These are not decisions we take lightly and we work closely with those impacted, including customers and staff, to help them understand their options.

“Unfortunately, with an increase in the use of online and telephone banking over the past few years use of the Ewloe branch has fallen significantly, and we’ve taken the difficult decision to close it.

We notified customers of the closure and will be working with those who use the branch to help them understand their options, which include being able to use the local Post Office for their day-to-day banking.”

https://www.deeside.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Chester-Commercial-Centre-Ewloe-MassAdv.pdf