Gwent News

Over 100 meet to save Blaenavon’s last bank

By Hayley Mills

12:20pm Saturday 28th January 2012

MORE than 100 Blaenavon residents attended a public meeting to fight the closure of its only bank.

The HSBC branch is set to close on May 11 at 12.30pm and Blaenavon Town Council and approximately 120 residents rallied around to air their views at the meeting on Thursday in Blaenavon Workingmens’ Hall.

The town Mayor, councillor Stuart Evans, said: “I thought someone was playing a joke by saying the bank was closing but later I realised it wasn't.

“Since hearing the news the Town Council has leaflet dropped to inform residents, and informed the press, to make more people aware of the closure.”

The Mayor explained that HSBC managers had been invited to the public meeting, but they had turned down the offer. Instead they requested that a private meeting be held on the banks premises and attended by only four council members on January 31.

At the meeting councillors hope to find out if the cash machine will remain if the bank goes.

A letter was receive from HSBC's Wales regional manager, Pete Muscat, it outlined that the reason behind the closure is that the branch is “poor performing” and “not achieving the level of business needed to make it sustainable.”

If the bank closes Blaenavon residents will have to travel to Pontypool or Abergavenny to use banking facilities.

Residents were asked by the town council if they would support a bigger campaign in the form of a march. It received a mixed opinion.

Resident Alan Parry said: “Did marches do us any good in the past? No. It should be left to the elected members.”

While Lynne Tanner added: “I understand that marches haven't worked as wanted in the past, but should we just roll over? No. We can be thorns in their flesh.”

Main concerns from residents were elderly people having to travel further with their pension money making them vulnerable and businesses needing to travel further to get change.

Councillors started a petition to save the bank and after one day had collected 185 signatures.

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