Derbyshire Dales District Council have called a meeting of Bakewell Banking Hub stakeholders to be held today (Friday 12 July) at 2pm. The meeting, which is by invitation only and not open to the public, will take place in the Conference Room at the Agricultural Business Centre in Bakewell.
The District Council has expressed a wish to secure a banking hub in Bakewell, following the closure of the Natwest Bank branch in the town in February of this year.
Stakeholders at the meeting will discuss the work that has been undertaken to date and agree how they can work together to progress the introduction of a banking hub in the town.
On 22 February 2024, the Bakewell Branch of the NatWest Bank closed permanently. It was the last remaining High Street bank in the town and in the whole of the Peak District National Park. The closure took place despite strenuous opposition from Derbyshire Dales District Council, the Member of Parliament for Derbyshire Dales, local businesses and over 3,000 members of the public who signed a petition submitted to the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.
A Derbyshire Dales District Council spokesperson said:
“The closure of the bank has left our rural residents and businesses feeling overlooked and isolated. Rural communities deserve the right to access the same services and facilities as urban communities and bank branches are not mere conveniences, they are essential lifelines. Bakewell is a thriving market town and home to one of the region’s leading livestock markets at the Agricultural Business Centre. The Riverside and Deepdale Business Parks and the Station Industrial Estate are also important employment centres, and there are many independent shops, cafes, pubs, and restaurants in the town centre who rely upon the provision of accessible banking services.”
Derbyshire Dales’ new MP, John Whitby will be available to answer media questions at the end of the meeting at approx. 4.00pm.
