THERE is absolutely no comparison between the Man from Delmonte and Lloyds Bank, as the Men from Lloyds Bank they repeatedly say “No”!
Despite numerous emails, letters, telephone calls and meetings, their callous response is the same: “We are closing the Fairford branch and there is nothing you can do about it.”
Lloyds have point-blank refused the request by Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown to hold a public meeting, have categorically refused to re-examine their facts and figures on which the decision to close the Lloyds branch in Fairford is based, and have refused to retain the ATM, which is the only 24/7 ATM in the town.
More worryingly, they have denied that their statistics of bank usage are incorrect.
So now Fairford, a rapidly growing market town, will be left with no bank and no ATM.
Lloyds made the decision to close the one and only bank in Fairford based on questionable assumptions about alternative banking facilities.
How do ordinary people in a small Cotswold town hold the bank to account?
Lloyds say they have followed the Banking Protocol, but that is questionable.
They say they have notified all the people that they are required to notify about the closure, one of which is the Chamber of Commerce.
On investigation, it is found that they did not inform the Fairford & Lechlade Business Club based in Fairford, nor even the Cirencester Chamber of Commerce, but Business West based in Bristol!
The way that banks are treating customers and business customers in particular is under investigation by the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses), but any possible breach of protocol will be found too late to save the bank in Fairford.
What can the government do about it?
Theresa May has been informed about what is happening in Fairford and our MP has had a meeting with a group director, but there has been no stay of execution to re-investigate the validity of closure nor any change of mind by Lloyds Bank.
On November 8, Fairford’s solitary bank will close leaving a massive town centre building empty.
Heaven forbid that planning permission is granted to turn this into more residential units.
CHRIS ROBERTS
Fairford
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