BANK ON THE PAYMENT CHOICE ALLIANCE!

Lloyds Banking Group is closing the last bank branch in Okehampton in March 2026. The population of the Okehampton built-up area was 9,112 in the 2021 UK Census, having risen from 7,647 in 2011 - around a 20% increase - making it a growing market town, nestled by the Dartmoor National Park in Devon.

A growing market town that will have lost ALL four of its bank branches when Lloyd’s desert the town next March.

Lloyd’s are proudly telling their customers in Okehampton that they can still use branches in Tiverton - a mere 30 mile round trip - or Exeter, involving 48 miles travel to get there and back.

Okehampton is due to get a Banking Hub, though it appears from the Cash Access UK website that no site has yet been identified, even though the old Lloyds Bank site could surely be made available.

There is another crucial issue.

The photograph with the article reveals that the Lloyds Bank branch has a 24/7 ATM.

Will the Banking Hub have such an ATM?

No doubt local MP Mel Stride, who also serves as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, will be asking Cash Access UK that question.

Mel should be aware that, when Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt ( now Knighted) managed to extract a Banking Hub + a 24/7 ATM for the town of Haslemere in his constituency, courtesy of Cash Access UK.

That was an akin to miraculous achievement by Sir Jeremy, since fewer than half a dozen of the 200 hundred plus Banking Hubs that have so far appeared have any ATM.

I am sure being Chancellor didn’t assist Sir J in bringing about this “miracle”…

The British public need have no fears though.

The Payment Choice Alliance is going to help bring about at least 1000 more such “miracles” around the UK. That will involve ensuring that more than 1200 Banking Hubs are created, ALL with 24/7 cash access.

EVERY COMMUNITY WITH OVER 5000 RESIDENTS THAT EVER HAD A BANK BRANCH WILL HAVE A BANKING HUB, WITH A 24/7 ATM.

Source: okehampton-today.co.uk/news/okehampton-lloyds-bank-set-to-close-835619