Dear Sir,
When I moved to Newton Aycliffe in 1992 we had TSB, Midland, Abbey National, Halifax, Darlington Building Society (in the Thames Centre), Barclays and NatWest banks as well as the Post Office.
29 years later we have a Halifax with no front counter, just cash machines, and a TSB which seems they can open and close as and when they like.
I visited TSB on Monday 26th July and Tuesday 27th July, on both days they were closed with a notice on the windows stating their opening times, the website says temporary closure. Has the TSB turned its back on the town?
Yes, you can pay money in and out of the Post Office for most banks, except the NatWest and TSB envelopes take no cash, no change, cheques only.
It is not convenient for my wife to get on a bus and go to put money into the nearest TSB bank which is in Darlington, as she is in a wheelchair. Buses will not let electric scooters on board, but they will let electric wheelchairs on, but only one at a time, this means if you are towards the end of the route, as we are, and somebody is on the bus in a wheelchair already, you have to wait for another bus (we have experienced this numerous times).
No wonder the shops are leaving the town, as they can’t put money in and get cash out. At first they were blaming the internet, now they are blaming Covid, but when will it all end, when it turns into a ghost town?
We have been with TSB since 1979, I am now looking for another bank to transfer my money to, but with all the banks closing it looks like it’s going to have to be the Post Office.
I have tried to contact TSB but all I am getting is the answer machine, or if they do answer all they can say is they “don’t know when the temporary closure will reopen”.
I’m sure I will be speaking on behalf of other people on this matter.
A Resident of Newton Aycliffe