The Pendle community was left shocked as two Barclays Bank branches are set to close.
A number of PCCU account holders have reacted with disappointment with the announcement that both Barclays Bank branches in Nelson and Colne are due to close. The majority of our account holders also have accounts at the high street banks and expressed anger at our community losing another set of bank branches.
We have heard from all the high street banks that have left Burnley and Pendle recently that one of the main reasons they are vacating town centre locations is because of account holders increasingly using online facilities. At PCCU we recognise that for many people to access balances, request withdrawals and apply for loans online is vital and that is why we continue to improve the ‘Online Accounts’ area, however we also understand that many residents still want to be able to speak to a real member of staff face-to-face. It is for this reason we operate three town centre branches within 7 miles, signalling our commitment to serve people in the community with our newest branch opening on Burnley’s St James’s Street in October 2018.
Over the last few years many bank branches have closed in Burnley and Pendle. Santander Bank have recently announced their branch is also to close, which follows the closure of their Padiham branch in 2017; sadly that closure left Padiham with no banks at all.
Barclays closing their branch on Manchester Road in Nelson, means the community have now lost Marsden Building Society, Lloyds, HSBC, who also closed a branch in Morrisons supermarket and Natwest Bank. PCCU’s blog asked in 2016 whether “we need Banks, Building Societies and Credit Unions on the High Street?” and the overall response from account holders was – yes.
There are some banking issues that many feel need to be addressed in branch. Local bank closures make this very difficult for people in our community. That is why we welcome any PCCU account holders to pop into our three branches located in Nelson, Colne or Burnley to discuss their savings or loans.
