BARCLAYS Bank has announced that they never planned to cease face to face services in Haxby.

As previously reported in The Press, the Barclays branch in Haxby has announced that it will close in October.

City of York councillors and York Outer MP, Julian Sturdy, campaigned to keep face to face services in the area, and the council's petition garnered over 700 signatures from locals.

However, a Barclays spokesperson has told The Press that it was always their intention to keep a presence in Haxby.

They say that the Barclays Van, which was parked outside the Haxby Memorial Hall on Tuesday, August 23, was used to promote that the branch will be closing, however, a new Barclays replacement service will be opening in the Haxby and Wigginton library.

The van will not be there alongside the new Barclays replacement service in the library.

Steve Mullins, Barclays Customer Care Director, said: "We’re delighted to offer a replace banking service in Haxby. 

"This represents our commitment to customers who wish to continue to have an in-person banking presence by offering the ability to visit Barclays on their local high street, albeit in a different environment."

Colleagues from the previous Haxby branch will be on hand for customers from October, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 9.30am to 3.30pm, for services including financial reviews, balance requests, open new accounts and digital banking support.

However, as the library is a cashless site, everyday banking transactions including cash deposits and withdrawals will need to be done at a local post office.

As previously reported in The Press, Cllr Andrew Hollyer said: "Whilst we remain hugely disappointed to see the closure of the last bank branch in Haxby and Wigginton, which will cause undoubted difficulties for many local residents and businesses, we'd like to thank everyone that signed the petition for helping us to retain at least some service locally.

“We hope that the presence of staff at the new library will help mitigate some of the concerns about the closure.

"We will continue to work with the bank and local residents and businesses to hopefully resolve some of the remaining concerns."

Luke Charters, Labour Parliamentary Candidate for York Outer, added:

He said: "The closure of the branch also reduces access to cash in the village, at a time when the cost of living crisis is driving higher cash use for budgeting purposes.

"There is a consistent pattern emerging whereby disabled residents are losing out in York - be that the blue badge ban, or pavement access issues. Labour will continue to speak up for our disabled residents."