Horwich: NatWest confirms closure date of last bank branch

The company said the site was set to shut at the start of last year although not until the town had a Banking Hub.

The Banking Hub opened at a provisional location on Lee Lane at the start of this year and it is opening at a permanent location on Winter Hey Lane, on the site of the old Miller Metcalfe office, subject to an application for planning permission which is up for consideration by the council. The deadline for a decision is this month.

Horwich's last bank branch is set to shut over the summer, on July 11, after the confirmation of the closure date.

NatWest said it received comments from "key members of the local community" including groups like Age UK Bolton and Citizens Advice Bolton and individuals like Bolton West MP Chris Green about the decision.

In a document announcing the date, the bank stated: "After we announced the closure of the branch we spoke to key members of the local community to help us to understand the impact of closing the branch. The feedback we received was welcomed."

It added: "Customers were concerned about how to conduct their day-to-day banking. We advised on what the change will mean for customers and advised of the alternative ways to bank including the local Post Office and the introduction of a Banking Hub."

The Banking Hub provides a counter service via the Post Office and it provides a face-to-face service with staff from different banks on different days.

In Horwich at the time of writing it is someone from Barclays on Mondays, NatWest on Tuesdays, Halifax on Wednesdays and Santander on Thursdays.

Those in need of another NatWest branch are able to attend the NatWest branches in Bolton town centre (24 Deansgate, Bolton, BL1 1BN), Chorley town centre (46 Market Street, Chorley, PR7 2RZ) and Wigan town centre (4 Standishgate, Wigan, WN1 1UE).

For information go to natwest.com.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.