A LEADING Labour councillor has criticised the decision by Lloyds banking group to close its Bexhill branch.
Christine Bayliss, who represents Central Ward in the town, said: “I’m disappointed that Lloyds Bank have announced that it is closing its branch in Bexhill, as it restricts choice and it creates yet another empty building on Devonshire Road.
“I’ve been having conversations with local campaigners about setting up a Banking Hub in Bexhill and will be raising this as an issue with the High Street Task Force, who are helping develop a strategy to regenerate the town centre.
“I would remind people, that there are still banks operating in the town centre as well as the Post Office in Devonshire Square”.
Lloyds confirmed this week that the Bexhill branch will close its doors for the final time on February 6 next year.
The decision follows hot on the heels of the closures of the Barclays and NatWest branches in Devonshire Road, leading to the buildings standing empty in one of the town’s prime shopping streets.
Howard Martin, Chairman of Bexhill Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, is equally frustrated by the announcement.
He said: “Where is the strategy to save our town centre? The empty banks and retail spaces in our town centre should now be declared as a crisis zone and everything should be done to attract investment.
“Rother District Council have presided over a disaster in the town centre ever since they abolished the Town Centre Steering Group in 2021, an action committee made up of RDC, East Sussex County Council, business representatives, third sector representatives, government agencies and so forth
“That group in the past had been able to work together to bring investment into the town. As soon as the first bank was earmarked for closure action should have been taken to incentivise investment.
“But, instead of offering incentives, they abolished the investment group and set about deterring investment with ridiculous regulations about not being able to insulate properties in the conservation area.
It is absolutely outrageous that Bexhill, a town of 46,000 people, will now be left without any banking counter services. All four mainstream banks have now deserted the town.
Residents and businesses that rely on counter services have been abandoned. Businesses that rely on cash for custom and till floats will now be left floundering and in danger of having to close down.
Elderly residents will also be severely impacted by this closure. They rely on banking services being easily available rather than having to access them online. Don’t forget that when counters are closed at banks their cashpoints on the walls outside go too.
“Huw Merriman MP for many years ran a campaign in Battle for a free cashpoint. Now Bexhill is about to be left in the same situation. Why haven’t the government mandated that towns the size of Bexhill cannot be left without banking services? Why aren’t our politicians in negotiations with the banks to possibly keep one site open as a shared hub that could also be used as a business centre?
“Instead the banks close and our politicians are more concerned with petty infighting and party political point scoring. Where is our regeneration strategy?
“Bexhill Chamber of Commerce have been working incredibly hard to try and create a strategy to attract businesses to the empty bank buildings as well as the key retail spaces like EWM and M&Co and the Lloyds closure just knocks us back further.
“While we hope we have been able to work with stakeholders to secure three key sites that relies on council approval and that is where investment all too often falls down. Bexhill Chamber are working on a plan that we feel Rother should adopt to save our town.”
