Meeting with NatWest managers to express opposition to Anglesey bank closures

I met with senior NatWest managers today to express my opposition to the decision to close branches in Amlwch, Holyhead and Menai Bridge.

I said there is an obvious pattern here of banks – not just NatWest – pulling out of small towns, and that banks need to remember that it’s their customers that allow them to make profits. I argued that they should conduct full assessments of the likely impact of branch closures BEFORE considering doing so – not AFTER Decisions are made.

I sought assurances about maintaining levels of service, including services to businesses through the Post Office, and in terms of cash machines. They agreed in revisit the decision to close the Menai Bridge cashpoint as this would leave no other 24 hours cashpoint in the town centre.

I feel for hardworking NatWest staff on Anglesey, I was assured that they hoped that there would be no compulsory redundancies.

“I asked, of course, for the bank to reconsider their decisions, but it is clear that mitigation will be the only considerations now including the creation of new post of Community Banker on Anglesey, strengthening services through the Post, and visits by mobile branches. But this is clearly not enough. Action must be taken somehow, by Governments and the industry itself, to protect financial services in places like Anglesey. We are rapidly losing them.