Barclays Bank Chandler’s Ford Branch is Closing on Friday 30 July 2021.
The nearest branches are in Winchester and Eastleigh.
Barclays Bank Chandler’s Ford Branch is Closing on Friday 30 July 2021
Barclays Bank Chandler’s Ford Branch is Closing on Friday 30 July 2021.
The nearest branches are in Winchester and Eastleigh.
Many years ago (pre 1965), i was living with my parents in Chandler’s Ford and working for Barclays Bank Ltd in Winchester. This was when banks opened on Saturday mornings, so it was appreciated when I became the number 2, to the cashier who opened up and served the people of Chandler’s Ford on Saturday mornings only.
There was just us 2, and in those pre computer days the ledgers were handwritten. We had no plastic screens to protect us from “bank robbers” it was a different world, I was able to walk to work but my regular colleague caught a bus from further afield, which was fine until he missed the bus one Saturday morning (he was the key holder).
I clearly recall standing outside trying to explain to the queue of people waiting outside that I couldn’t open up the then very small and popular Barclays Bank. I am sure the community will be disappointed with the decision to close this banking facility after approximately 60 years, especially those who do not use online banking.
After seeing the earlier Santander bank closure, last autumn, I asked the Chandlers ford branch if they were staying with us. ” We have no plans to close” was the response. With increasing numbers elderly people this closure is not good news.
Unfortunately, buildings are expensive to maintain and nowadays bank buildings don’t get the level of custom that justify that expense. The proliferation of cash dispensers (and cashback at shops) means that few people need to go to banks to withdraw cash. Electronic banking means that paying money in is also far less common. Of course, none if this helps people who don’t like using cash dispensers, or don’t use electronic banking, or for any other reason prefer to make their banking transactions at a actual bank.
I don’t know whether any thought has ever been given to combining basic banking services from several banks into one premises. there may not be enough custom for the main banks to each operate separate buildings in Chandlers Ford, but could their be enough custom for them each to operate from the same building?
Also – you can find cash dispensers in all sorts of locations – railway stations, shopping centres, supermarkets. Some banks have machines where you can pay money in (though not, interestingly enough, at Barclays in Eastleigh). How difficult would it be to make those machines wider avaialble?