Seaside village in Yorkshire to get 'banking hub' to help people access cash

An additional 13 hubs will be created, bringing the total number planned to 25, according to ATM network Link and the Cash Action Group, which includes banking industry representatives and others.

Hornsea is among the places to get a new hub, as well as Barton-upon-Humber in Lincolnshire.

Banking hubs operate in a similar way to bank branches, but their services are shared, with banks providing staff on rotation so that trained specialists from different banks are available on different days.

The 13 new hubs will be in locations including Brechin in Angus, Forres in Moray, Carluke in Lanarkshire, Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway, Axminster in Devon, Lutterworth in Leicestershire, Royal Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire, Cheadle in Staffordshire, Belper in Derbyshire and Maryport in Cumbria. The first banking hub under the scheme in Northern Ireland will open in Kilkeel in Newry.

Banks and building societies have asked Link to identify communities that need help and the locations have been selected as part of that work.

The first banking hubs were piloted last year in Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire and Rochford in Essex. The two hubs have already had approaching 60,000 customer visits and transactions worth £16 million have taken place since they opened.

As the impact of the cost-of-living crisis becomes increasingly apparent, the hubs are likely to become an ever more important resource, particularly in communities with minimal or limited cash access or banking facilities, those behind the initiative said.

John Bachtler, chair of the Cambuslang Community Council, said: "The banking hub is the centre of our community and it's bringing life back to the high street and crucially helping people and businesses with their everyday banking needs. It gets busier and busier every week and we know it will make a significant difference in other communities across the UK."

Bank branch closures, alongside other trends, have sparked concerns about people's continued ability to easily access cash. The Post Office also has an agreement that helps people to do their everyday banking over its counters. Convenience stores have also been offering cashback at tills as part of the initiatives to address gaps in the cash system.