New banking hub to open in Ossett shopping arcade

The new community hub will offer services from the main high street banks

A new banking hub is set to open in Ossett in West Yorkshire, a council has confirmed.

The hubs offer over-the-counter services, including accessing and depositing cash, in communities without any remaining banks.

The facility in Ossett will be located at the Wellgate shopping arcade and have disabled access, according to Wakefield Council.

The scheme was submitted on behalf of Cash Access UK Limited.

Planning permission was granted at a recent council meeting.

A report about it said: "The company will facilitate the provision of a range of services including shared banking spaces on local high streets."

It comes as the number of branches across the Wakefield Council district has reduced by half in the past eight years.

Last year, Halifax Bank announced the closure of its branches in Normanton and Ossett, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The facility will be at Wellgate shopping arcade

The new banking hub, which is in a conservation area, will take up two empty units inside the arcade.

The design of the new business will be in keeping with the conservation area, the report adds.

A counter service will be run by the Post Office and different banks will take turns in running a daily service, which includes cash deposits and withdrawals as well as face-to-face inquiry services.

The hubs are delivered by not-for-profit firm Cash Access UK, which is owned by nine major banks.

Last August, the government said banks would face fines if they failed to provide free access to cash withdrawals for consumers and businesses.

A planned policy will state that free cash withdrawals and deposits must be available within one mile (1.6km) for people living in urban areas.

In rural areas the maximum distance is three miles (4.8km).