Politician calls for customer "hub" to mitigate impact of bank closure

Tuesday 01 October 2024

A St Brelade politician has called on the government to create a customer “hub” at Les Quennevais to provide local access to government and bank services on different days of the week.

It comes after an announcement by Lloyds last week confirming that it would be closing its Les Quennevais branch in December due to a fall in customer transactions.

Deputy Jonathan Renouf said that the government could “play a greater role” and create a Customer and Local Services “hub” at Les Quennevais “which could provide a local point of contact with access to government services some days of the week and bank staff on other days”.

Pictured: Deputy Jonathan Renouf called on the government to create a customer “hub” at Les Quennevais.

The politician met Lloyds representatives last Thursday for a 45-minute “open and frank discussion” about the reasons for closure and mitigation measures alongside  Deputies Helen Miles, Moz Scott, Montfort Tadier and parish Constable Mike Jackson.

Shortly after Thursday’s meeting, the five St Brelade elected officials released a statement saying: “We had an open and frank discussion about the reasons behind Lloyds’ decision and the mitigation measures the bank have put in place to help customers.

“We conveyed the many comments we have had from constituents about the closure, including a desire for the branch to stay open. However, the bank confirmed that the decision to close the bank will not be reversed.”

It continued: “We noted the bank’s work to support customers in the transition to digital banking, and their offer to visit customers in their home if they unable to visit the branch.

“We also discussed the possibilities for offering banking services in other locations in the parish.”

Writing about the meeting in his blog this weekend, Deputy Renouf revealed the bank did not conduct a survey of bank users to find out the strength of opinion amongst their customers about the value of the branch.

Deputy Renouf further said he would be “investigating further” the reasons that Jersey Post did not pursue the possibility of a “banking hub” at Les Quennevais.

He added: “It is a shame that a highly profitable bank that makes much of its commitment to inclusion is not prepared to place a higher priority on customers who are not – for a variety of reasons – able to move into the age of digital banking and/or find travel to the branch in town difficult.”

HSBC in Les Quennevais remains the only bank branch outside town, with none to serve parishioners in the north or east of the island.