Church Stretton denied banking hub
Stuart Anderson, the Member of Parliament for South Shropshire, has expressed his profound disappointment after a formal request for a banking hub in Church Stretton was rejected.
The decision, published by the independent body LINK on 11 February, follows the closure of the Yorkshire Building Society agency on Sandford Avenue late last month.
The closure of the Yorkshire Building Society on 26 January 2026 left Church Stretton without a dedicated bank branch. In anticipation of this loss, Mr Anderson submitted a Cash Access Request to LINK on 8th December 2025. He argued that the town’s residents and businesses require a centralised hub to withdraw and deposit cash, pay bills, and manage their finances in person.
Despite these concerns, LINK concluded its assessment by stating that it did not find a significant gap in local cash access services. The organisation noted that the nearest branch offering full services to both personal and business customers is the NatWest in Ludlow. However, this branch is located 12.3 miles away, a journey that takes approximately 33 minutes by car from the now-closed Church Stretton site.
Mr Anderson described himself as "devastated" by the ruling, pointing out the practical difficulties for those who cannot easily travel to Ludlow or other distant towns like Welshpool, Wolverhampton, or Shrewsbury to conduct their banking. He criticised the current assessment criteria, which often prevent the recommendation of a banking hub if at least one bank branch remains within a certain radius, regardless of the geographic or transport challenges involved.
The MP’s "Banking Hubs Campaign" was originally launched in January 2025 following the loss of Lloyds Bank branches in Ludlow and Bridgnorth. A petition supporting the campaign garnered nearly 200 signatures from local residents who are concerned about South Shropshire becoming a "banking desert." Mr Anderson has called for a more proactive approach from the government and LINK to prevent the further decline of rural high streets.
Currently, residents in Church Stretton must rely on a limited number of alternatives for cash services. These include the local Post Office on Sandford Avenue for balance enquiries, the Midcounties Co-op on Lion Meadow for withdrawals and PIN management, and the Longmynd Service Station.
While the formal request for a hub has been ruled out for now, Mr Anderson has vowed to continue his campaign. He maintains that access to physical banking products and services is a vital component of the rural economy, particularly for the one-third of South Shropshire residents who are aged 65 or over and may rely more heavily on in-person support.
