We must cheque in to keep town centres alive
Keeping a close eye on life in the Valley
WAY back during first lockdown, I lost my credit card. A new one was ordered but the bank asked me to pick it up in person.
Sure, I thought, expecting a trip in to Rawtenstall.
Only the branch in question had closed some while ago, and instead I was sent to Bury to pick up the card.
While in Bury, I did some shopping (essential, as that was what was allowed at the time) and spent maybe £ 20.
Had it been now, I’d probably have got a coffee too and picked up some other things too.
Had that bank still been in Rawtenstall, that would have been money spent here in Rossendale.
Last week, I received a cheque in the post.
I sighed - going to the bank really isn’t a very easy experience at the moment, for obvious reasons.
But then I got pointed to my bank’s app, which now allows me to take a photo of cheques and submit them that way.
So no need to go to the bank at all - great!
But actually, not so great.
Because it’s one less trip to Rawtenstall, and of course runs the risk that I’ll become part of a statistic to justify closing, or reducing the hours, of my local bank in the future.
And for towns like Rawtenstall, Haslingden and Bacup, this really matters.
Over recent months and years we’ve seen a number of banks leave our local town centres, always citing declining use of branches.
In Haslingden, for example, there isn’t even a cash machine directly operated by a bank in the town centre.
There are cash points, but within shops - where there’s never any guarantee they will remain free to use.
Having access to cash should be a basic right, not something at the discretion of the bank holding your cash.
The old TSB branch, which closed last year, is now possibly going to be turned into flats.
Great that the building isn’t going to be left empty, as has been the case with Barclays branch in
Haslingden, but the loss of a bank remains a challenge for any town centre.
When we talk about leveling up - or rather, when we’re talked at about levelling up - it’s important that the town centres away from the big city centres are supported to thrive.
Levelling up can only ever be felt if access to facilities are within easy access in local town centres.
To that end, the Government is making a lot of fuss about investing in such towns.
Indeed, £725m was confirmed for 30 towns around the country only this week - although none in Lancashire.
But that sense of being able to do things locally need not cost mega millions.
It means being able to get more local NHS services rather than having to go to Blackburn or Burnley.
It means local police stations which are open to the public within Rossendale, not elsewhere.
Is it really right that many sixth-form courses are not available within Rossendale, for example?
It also requires a commitment from organisations which provide public services - like banks - to find ways to remain local, rather than finding reasons such as technology to close branches and become more remote.
That’s got to be the goal: How do you do as much as possible in Rossendale’s town centres.
The answers aren’t easy, but we all have a part to play - even if means going to the bank when you can.
The Scribbler’s views do not necessarily represent those of the Free Press.