Rumours have been circulating for some time about the impending closure of Lloyds Bank in the High Street. Only now comes official confirmation from Jane Grubb, Lloyds bank manager of Rye and New Romney branches in a letter to customers.
Lloyds Bank services are still available locally at New Romney and Hastings, and customers are advised that they can withdraw cash and make deposits at any Post Office. In addition, “a mobile branch service will be visiting this area.” Full details of the service, including routes and timetables will be available online. The final date for across-the-counter banking and also presumably for accessing the ATM in Lion Street is October 4.
This will be the third Rye High Street bank to close, starting with the loss of HSBC in January 2016 and then NatWest on June 21 this year. At least the pavement-blocking and congestion problems identified at “cashpoint corner” will be further ameliorated, but at the cost of much inconvenience for those who refuse or are unable to embrace online banking.
The building formerly housed the bank established in 1790 by the Curteis family in association with Messrs Woolet and Dawes of Rye. The business was acquired by Lloyds in 1893.
Photo: Kenneth Bird
Image Credits: Kenneth Bird .
Banking Services such as cash / cheque paying-in (paying-in slip required) cash withdrawals and a balance of account, are available at the Post Office counter within your Rye supermarket from 6am until 10pm Monday to Saturday.
I am one of the people referred to who has not embraced on line banking. However not every banking transaction can be dealt with on line. The closure of banks will have an impact on local businesses which need to pay money into their account. Charities which receive cash donations in collecting boxes. Charity membership renewals and so on……… The closures will also be affect people who need advice and have been used to speaking to a helpful member of staff face to face. I m afraid that I do not see this as progress.
I moved to Handelsbanken, a Swedish bank, when my own bank of more than 40 years refused to give me a mortgage – a real computer says no saga. Handelsbanken involved a face to face interview and the mortgage was no problem. My bank manager has visited me twice and gave me a present on the day I moved in. He and his assistant are available by email and on the phone and deal with queries promptly and efficiently. When a unusual and large payment is going through, they call me to make sure it is really me. They dont have branches but you can pay in a cheque via NatWest branches. Its like the good old days when banks treated customers like people!