Customers and other businesses in Woodley have expressed their concern at the news that NatWest Bank is closing their Woodley branch in October. This comes just months after the Wokingham branch closed its doors for the last time in February.
Now the closest branch is in Reading over three miles away, followed by Bracknell which is nine miles away.
Steven Lynch, manager at Timpsons said it was just another nail in the coffin for the precinct. “It is quiet enough now and has been for a few weeks. The precinct is dying a slow death.”
And Shaun Walter, manager of McColls said he was quite surprised. “I think the elderly will struggle. There are already too many take-aways and restaurants. I think they need to cater for a certain demographic and not just keep putting the same thing in the shop units.”
Nick Moulton of Woodley Pets said it was disappointing and added that the empty space will probably be filled with something the town doesn’t need.
And owner Michaela Dalton said it will be difficult logistically for a number of shops who do their business banking with NatWest. “I have already applied to transfer to a different bank. I have cash to pay in and I can’t afford the time to travel to Reading.”
But she added that she thought the increase in parking charges was more of a deterrent to people coming than the closure of NatWest. “Overall footfall has already fallen since the rise in parking charges. But the town centre manager is making a real effort with Summer Saturdays (live music every weekend), the recent French market and car boot sales. “There are still lots of reasons to come into Woodley.”
One of those reasons is a fun dog show the shop will be staging in September in aid of the MacMillan Coffee Mornings. On Sunday, 2nd September, classes include Oodles of Poodles, Golden Oldie, Prettiest Lady, Handsome Boy and the dog judges would most like to take home with them.
In their announcement they said: “With the ease of mobile and online banking fewer people are coming into the bank. This means we’ve had to make some tough choices about which can stay open. So, we want to make sure that we keep the branches people are using most. Across the bank we have seen the average counter transactions reduced by 60 per cent between January 2019 and January 2023. The number of customers using mobile apps increased by 49 per cent between January 2019 and January 2023
“We completely understand that online banking isn’t right for everyone. Sometimes you want to chat things through with someone. We promise that you’ll still be able to talk to one of our team either on the phone, by video or in one of our other branches.
“Closing a branch is always difficult and not a decision that we ever take lightly. We look at the likely impact on customers, how often customers use the branch and the transactions they’re making. Comparing January 2019 and January 2023, counter transactions for personal customers have decreased by 54 per cent.”
They said they will continue to provide additional support to their most vulnerable customers: “Our Customer Support Specialists will be making proactive telephone calls to customers over the coming weeks, providing bespoke support and advice with personalised solutions to ensure you can continue to bank in a way that suits you.”
And they will be running a face-to-face event in branch for those who may prefer to speak to someone familiar and offering ongoing support with using our digital services.
Local Directors will be contacting relevant local organisations to advise them of the closure, working together to support customers and the local community following closure.
“That’s why we’re getting in touch with our customers and engaging with the local community to talk through our decision. We will update this factsheet with details of who we contacted, a summary of responses – and any complaints. You’ll be able to read the results at natwest.com/branch closures by 21 September 2023.”
