CONCERNS have been raised at the number of banks closing in North Yorkshire, as one town stands to lose three branches within 12 months.

Stokesley in North Yorkshire will see its Barclays close on May 29, NatWest on June 28 and lost its HSBC branch last year.

A similar situation has been replicated in towns across the county, with many residents facing lengthy round trips lasting several hours just to reach their nearest bank branch.

North Yorkshire County Councillor Bryn Griffith, who lives in Stokesley, is so concerned he is calling for intervention to ensure some form of banking facilities remain accessible to residents.

“There are still a lot of small businesses who still use cash and will be adversely affected. We still have a Santander branch in the town, but I don’t know if their business model is going to go the same way,” he said.

“There are also other reasons you might want to talk to your bank, like making changes to an account or accessing a mini statement.

“It also leaves high streets with empty premises for lease or sale. It adds to a downward trend to the vibrancy of a market town.”

Cllr Griffith said some people in the town had transferred their accounts to Barclays and NatWest when HBSC closed its branch on the High Street so they could still access a local bank.

He said while people could still access branches in Northallerton or Guisborough, it was a 20 minute car journey and an hour on the bus, making a trip to the bank potentially last several hours.

“The alternative offered is to either travel to Guisborough, Middlesbrough or Northallerton – a 20 minute journey by car, but not much use for those who rely on the infrequent bus services - at least an hour to Middlesbrough or Northallerton,” he said.

“Luckily Stokesley has a small Post Office, located at the rear of the CO-OP on the High Street. There is therefore the option of using the Post Office under an agreement with the main banks. This is OK in principle for cash services, but not for other bank services. However, the Post Office struggles to cope with existing trade as evidenced long queues at busy times- I don’t know how it’s going to cope with any increased footfall.”

Cllr Griffith, a member of North Yorkshire County Council’s Corporate and Partnership Overview and Scrutiny Committee, said the committee was looking at the issue and any possible solutions and would be making recommendations to the executive committee

He added: “I think it’s time for the county council to take the lead and start a campaign to support our market towns.”