First Impressions of Acton's New Banking Hub?
Cash Access UK want customers to complete a survey
Martin Lewis cutting the ribbon at the Acton Banking Hub. Picture: Rupa Huq/Twitter
June 27, 2023
Although it has been open less than a month, Cash Access UK, who helped set up Acton’s new Banking Hub, is keen to hear about your first impressions.
The country’s sixth Banking Hub and the first in London or any urban area was officially opened on 15 June by consumer champion Martin Lewis CBE founder of Money Saving Expert.
He said, “I have long been a supporter for access to cash. The more of us who don’t touch cash the more important it is that we champion access to cash for those people who will be left behind – the vulnerable, the information and internet disenfranchised, many elderly people.”
The Hub provides a shared banking space and offers everyday banking for personal customers of most of the major banks and building societies.
Cash Access UK would really appreciate you completing a survey and asking your colleagues and local friends to do the same.
It will give you an opportunity to have your say on how the facility in the Oaks Shopping Centre is developed. Rupa Huq, the local MP, welcomed its arrival but said that weekend opening would be a great idea.
Rupa Huq MP said, “Acton has been a banking desert for far too long. Whereas once the big names were all present, the sorry carcasses of abandoned banks have increasingly lined its high street right up Barclays the final one that closed its doors. It’s great news therefore that all the big players have sunk their differences clubbed together to provide this great new joint venture where transactions for 20 banks can be done and 5 different banks will be on hand for individual queries on the days between Monday and Friday.
“I’m sure this facility will prove invaluable to Actonians including the many (often elderly) who are not online or even those of all ages who prefer the personal touch. We are proud to have the first ever of these in an urban area and I can see it being a positive model widely rolled out to combat the loneliness agenda and counteract the present tendency to go down the route of mechanisation and A.I. What better person to have than Martin Lewis, who’s campaigned tirelessly on access to cash and championed consumers in multiple ways, to cut the ribbon on the big day.”
There is a Cash Access Board meeting on 4 July which will focus on lessons learnt from the Hub and it was hoped to present the outcome of the survey to this meeting.
The survey only takes a few minutes to complete and can be accessed here or on the QR code below.
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