August 22, 2025 / August 22, 2025 by Martin Quinn | 4 Comments on Are Banking Hubs the answer to bank branch closures?
I have always felt that Banking Hubs were a great idea but in practice just a sticking plaster as I told The Telegraph in an article a few months ago.
I recently found out that a Banking Hub has opened in Coulsdon in Surrey, a 15-minute drive from my home in Sutton, which straddles the London / Surrey boarders.
I need to find out for myself what are these hubs actually like: can you replicate an actual bank branch, and are they filling the void?
For context, the town of Coulsdon has two train stations, Coulsdon South and Coulsdon Town. It has a Waitrose and an ALDI, one pub and various smaller shops. It’s last remaining bank branch, a Barclays, closed in 2022.
According to Javed, who runs the hub, quite a number of small businesses deposit their cash takings on a Monday (after a busy weekend), alongside many locals who choose which day they can see a representative of their chosen bank.
Javid tells me that they average 50 customers a day, and whilst I was speaking (it was a Santander day) a lady was waiting to speak with the Santander representative.
So, Is it better than having a physical bank branch? Of course not, BUT in my view Banking Hubs are the next best thing, and if more are run with the enthusiasm of people like Javid then access to cash has a brighter future.
I would like to see the rollout of Banking Hubs turbo charged, because as great as the one on Coulsdon is we need 100’s more across the UK.