Ramsgate Town Council has written to the chairman of the HSBC bank to request the closure of the Ramsgate branch this September is reviewed.
The high street branch will shut its door on September 10. It is one of 82 nationwide that faces closure. The nearest branch will then be at Westwood Cross.
The closure follows “a detailed review” and will mean the HSBC branches will be reduced to 511.
HSBC says of the branches selected for closure, 81 are within one mile of a Post Office, where customers can carry out day-to-day transactions, two-thirds are within five miles of another HSBC branch and nine in ten are within 10 miles.
The bank chain says there will be a new format for customers including full service branches, cash service outlets, digital service and pop ups of temporary, movable, local sites.
In the letter to HSBC chairman Stephen Green, Ramsgate Town Council clerk Richard Styles says: “The council requests that the closure be reviewed in order take into account the social circumstances of Ramsgate customers, who may not find it a simple matter to bank online or at the nearest branch at Westwood Cross.
“Ramsgate is one the most deprived coastal communities in the country, and relies heavily on locally based financial services to provide secure employment, and much needed investment capital for new start up SME businesses, that will be needed, when the worst effects of the pandemic have passed.
“The council does have a proposal to offset any economic decline and to encourage entrepreneurial activity, which HSBC could assist with, even if the review we have requested is not undertaken.
“HSBC might like to consider leaving a positive legacy if it does go through with its closure programme.”
A petition against the closure has also been launched by Ramsgate councillor David Green.
He said: “One hundred and twenty Ramsgate residents have signed our petition opposing the HSBC branch closure.
“We now learn that Deal branch is amongst the 82 branches due to close between now and September. HSBC spin is that all staff will be redeployed. Bosses say the changes will see four distinct branch formats that “best suit customer needs, based on detailed analysis of customer behaviour”.
“These include full-service branches, cash service branches for customers who need greater access to cash, counter less branches with self-services only and pop-up branches. “Presumably, these changes are on top of the closures. Ramsgate Town Council is talking to HSBC management.
“Meanwhile let’s keep some pressure on by signing the petition and commenting to let the management know our views.”
The Town Council should do us all a favour and disband. It is a useless organisation that puts excessive precept upon the Rates , does very little of use , and “takes over” things at extra cost to the Ratepayer (I don’t see the TDC portion of the rates go down accordingly when it takes over anything from them ). The useless “Monmentum clan” don’t get the reality that HSBC is required to make a profit for it’s owners , or close , but then socialists have no business sense whatsoever.
I get the feeling they’re not on your Christmas card list Kevin 🤔
You’re right about socialists. They put people before profit.
If you were looking to be more efficient, then you might wonder why we’ve got about 5 bank branches in Ramsgate plus a post office.
Could make things far more viable by the banks agreeing to use just one premises for customers, irrespective of which bank they had.
just a thought – why dont they use the building to centralise the charity shops and the estate agents , as they make up most of the town it would make more sense to have them all in one place , and it would save the risk of walking around the town ?
Charity shops in Ramsgate town centre: British Red Cross (2), Shelter, Cancer Research, British Heart Foundation, Pilgrims’ Hospice, animal charities (2). How many estate agents?
What are the risks of walking around the town centre?
Dog mess and Feral yobs?
No.
HSBC is closing the branch because it is hardly used. Before the pandemic it was never busy and during the pandemic it is even quieter. 128 people have signed to keep it open thats a tiny amount compared to other petitions that have gone to the council or even parliament, that have been ignored or voted against. If the branch was busy it wouldn’t be closed as there would be a need for it. Sadly you can see its not busy so there isn’t a need for it(not a HSBC member of staff but I do work in the town)
Transfer your business to a branch that is staying open.
The nearest branch will then be at Westwood Cross – until they close that one you mean
What I mean is transfer your business to a *Bank* that is still open. Barclays, Santander etc.
The bank gave me diabolical service. Its staff are tired…. probably because it has no customers. I hear It doesn’t have a very good reputaion. So step forward potential users for this lovely imposing building. Why not Santander?
Santander’s just up the High Street already.
I have been with HSBC for 54 year’s, but when lockdown started and being vulnerable l found it hard having to go out and then to queue to go in the bank and there was face to face contact, so l decided to do on line banking, after some help l managed it and against my better judgement it works brilliantly