Arundel & South Downs MP Andrew Griffith, Hurstpierpoint County Councillor Joy Dennis and Hassocks Parish Councillor Alex Simmons have called for a reversal of the Nationwide Building Society’s planned branch closures in Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint and are mounting a campaign on behalf of local residents.
Last week, the Nationwide wrote to customers to advise they are closing the two branches, located less than 2 miles apart, at the end of April. The Hurstpierpoint branch had been temporarily closed since a ram raid on the property in September. The closure of both branches was unexpected and means that the nearest banking facilities that villagers have access to are miles in Burgess Hill or even Brighton.
The trio have written to the Chief Executive of Nationwide, to remind him of the building society’s own ‘branch promise’, made in November and published on the Impact Assessment report for each site, which said it “would not close branches until at least January 2023 except where there is another in the same town or city.”
In calling for a reversal on the decision, Andrew, Joy and Alex have asked for responsibility to the communities in which Nationwide operates and “as a minimum” to suspend any closures until after the West Sussex economy has fully re-opened.
Andrew Griffith added: “This is a double blow for the communities of Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint to be simultaneously left without any banking facilities at all, especially during the Covid Pandemic. The decision by Nationwide is a breach of its own promise not to close branches until 2023. If you can’t trust a bank, who can you believe?”
ENDS
Notes
- A copy of the letter to Joe Garner, Chief Executive of Nationwide can be read here.
