THE opening date of Wirral’s newest banking hub has been confirmed.

Last year, councillors secured and agreement to bring banking back to Moreton with a new banking hub.

The hub will be located temporarily in one of the empty units at the Coach and Horses pub and will consist of a counter service where customers of any bank can withdraw and deposit cash as well as make bill payments and carry out regular banking transactions.

In addition, there will be private spaces where customers can speak to community bankers from their own bank for more complicated matters that require specialist knowledge or privacy.

The banks will be working on a rotating basis, so there will be staff from different banks available on different days.

Moreton’s new banking hub will open on Friday, September 20.

Open initially five days a week, Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm, the banking hub is the first in Wirral to have been triggered by a ‘community request’, in this case, by councillors Vida Wilson, Gary Bennett and Colin Baldwin.

The five banks that have agreed to take part in Moreton, and the days when they will be in the hub, are:

  • Monday: NatWest
  • Tuesday: Santander
  • Wednesday: Lloyds
  • Thursday: Barclays
  • Friday: Halifax

Conservative Councillor for Moreton West and Saughall Massie Vida Wilson said: “Ever since the last bank left Moreton, the lack of day-to-day banking services has been a big issue for residents and local shops and businesses.

“Not everyone can use, or wants to use, an app on their phone, and there are also some more complex issues that are best sorted face to face.

“While the negotiations between Cash Access UK and the landlord of the potential permanent hub are ongoing, the lack of access to these kind of services was a concern to everyone involved.

“We’re grateful to Cash Access UK for agreeing to open now, albeit at a temporary location, so that people in Moreton don’t miss out any longer on these essential services.”

Lisa McGreevy, Project Manager for Cash Access UK, added: “The temporary hub is a provision we provide prior to the permanent hub, as the agreements for these can take some time.

“By providing a temporary hub, we can ensure that the community has access to their banking requirements in a much shorter timeframe. This will then remain open until the permanent hub opens.”