Principality opens new OneBanx cash kiosk in Maesteg as banks close branches across South Wales

Community celebration in Maesteg

Members, local community groups and pupils from Ysgol Cynwyd Sant joined Principality colleagues to mark the launch. Huw Irranca‑Davies MS and Stephen Kinnock MP also attended, meeting constituents and praising the investment.

The kiosk allows customers of most major banks and building societies to deposit and withdraw cash quickly and securely, without needing a card or paying fees. Transactions are instant, and the service is available in Welsh.

‘Vital support’ for residents and businesses

Kelly Young, Head of Customer Service – Savings at Principality Building Society, said:

“We are delighted to officially launch our OneBanx kiosk at our Maesteg branch, and welcome so many valued partners. This investment underlines our long‑term commitment to the high street and community, as well as ensuring local businesses and Members have access to the services they need.”

The kiosk will be open during branch hours six days a week, supported by Principality staff.

Politicians back new service

Huw Irranca‑Davies MS for Ogmore said the kiosk would “provide vital support for local businesses and residents, helping to sustain the area’s economic vitality.”

Stephen Kinnock MP for Aberafan Maesteg added: “With so many bank branches closing this kind of service is a lifeline – especially for older residents, small businesses, and anyone who still relies on cash. It’s not just about banking; it’s about keeping our communities connected and making sure no one gets left behind.”Wider picture: closures and new hubs

Wider picture: closures and new hubs

The launch of the Maesteg kiosk comes against a backdrop of widespread bank closures across South Wales. Lloyds Bank has already confirmed it will shut its Ammanford branch in January 2026, followed by Gorseinon in October the same year. In response, a new shared banking hub has been promised for Gorseinon to help fill the gap.

NatWest’s decision to close its Neath branch has been described as “deeply disappointing” by local representatives, while TSB is preparing to shut its Carmarthen branch in September 2024, leaving the nearest alternative almost 30 miles away. In Pontardawe, MP David Chadwick has urged Lloyds’ chief executive to rethink closure plans, warning that queues “out the door” show there is still strong demand for in‑person services.

Principality, by contrast, has been moving in the opposite direction. Earlier this year it opened a new branch on Swansea’s Oxford Street, underlining its pledge to maintain a high street presence until at least 2030. The new Maesteg kiosk is the latest sign of that commitment, offering reassurance to residents and small businesses who still rely on cash.

Related stories on local banking

Lloyds Bank to close Ammanford and Gorseinon branches in 2026
Closures will leave Principality as the only provider in Gorseinon until a new hub opens.

New banking hub confirmed for Gorseinon
Cash Access UK to deliver shared counter services and community banker support.

Principality opens new Swansea branch on Oxford Street
Move reflects commitment to in‑person services as banks scale back.

‘Deep disappointment’ over NatWest’s Neath branch closure
Senedd Member warns decision will hit local businesses and vulnerable residents.

MP calls on Lloyds CEO to halt Pontardawe closure
David Chadwick MP says queues “out the door” prove demand still exists.

TSB announces closure of Carmarthen branch
Blue Street branch to shut in September 2024, leaving nearest TSB 28 miles away.

#bankClosure #cash #cashKiosk #HuwIrrancaDaviesMS #Maesteg #money #PrincipalityBuildingSociety #StephenKinnockMP #YsgolCynwydSant

Lloyds Bank to close Ammanford and Gorseinon branches in 2026

The company confirmed that 49 branches across the UK will shut between January and October 2026, including three in Wales. Locally, the Ammanford branch will close on 12 January 2026, while the Gorseinon branch will close on 12 October 2026. The third Welsh closure is in Chepstow on 7 October 2026.

National picture

The closures form part of a wider programme affecting Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland sites. In total, 26 Lloyds branches, 10 Halifax and 13 Bank of Scotland branches will shut, leaving the group with 705 branches nationwide.

The move follows similar announcements from other high street banks, with NatWest recently confirming it will axe 46 mobile branches in January 2026.

Impact and alternatives

Lloyds said all staff affected will be offered roles elsewhere in the business. Customers are being reminded they can continue to use other Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland branches, as well as the Post Office and new community banking hubs. Cash deposits can also be made at more than 30,000 PayPoint locations.

Following the announcement, cash access network Link recommended the establishment of 11 new banking hubs across the UK to help communities losing their last bank.

Bank statement

A spokesperson for Lloyds Banking Group said:

“The way people are banking has changed, with over 21 million customers choosing our apps to manage their money. We’re providing more choice than ever before, bringing together the best in digital convenience with our people.”

Local context

The closure of the Gorseinon branch in October 2026 will leave Principality Building Society as the only remaining banking provider in the town. A new banking hub has already been confirmed for Gorseinon to help fill the gap left by recent closures.

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New banking hub confirmed for Gorseinon after branch closure announcements
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Plaid MS challenges LINK over Pontardawe banking hub snub
Sioned Williams MS has disputed LINK’s decision not to recommend a hub for Pontardawe, warning the Swansea Valley will be left without a single bank.

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Sioned Williams MS criticised Lloyds’ handling of the closure, warning it will affect up to 25,000 people across the Swansea Valley.

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New banking hub confirmed for Gorseinon after branch closure announcements

Shared banking space

The hub will be delivered by Cash Access UK before the closure of a local branch next year. It will provide counter services run by Post Office staff, allowing customers to withdraw and deposit cash, pay bills and carry out everyday transactions.

Private consultation rooms will also be available, where customers can meet community bankers from their own bank on a rotating basis to discuss more complex matters.

Gorseinon will be the second banking hub in Swansea, joining the existing facility in Morriston.

Local banking picture

The announcement comes after a series of high‑street bank closures across South West Wales:

• Barclays shut its Gorseinon branch in February 2022, citing a steep fall in counter transactions. At the time, the bank revealed only 83 customers used the branch exclusively, while 83% were already banking online or by phone.
• HSBC closed its Alexandra Road branch in June 2021. Lloyds has announced it will close its Gorseinon branch in October 2025, leaving Principality Building Society as the only remaining provider in the town and prompting the creation of the new banking hub.
• In nearby Pontardawe, Lloyds Bank’s planned closure has been branded a “betrayal” by Senedd Member Sioned Williams, who warned it would leave the entire Swansea Valley without a single bank branch.
• TSB announced the closure of its Carmarthen branch in September 2024, part of a UK‑wide cut of 36 branches and 250 jobs, with just a handful of customers still using the branch regularly.
• NatWest’s decision to close its Neath branch has also been met with “deep disappointment” from local representatives, who warned of the impact on businesses and vulnerable residents.

The new Gorseinon hub is intended to ensure residents and businesses continue to have access to face‑to‑face banking services despite this wider trend of closures.

LINK statement

Chris Ashton, Chief Commercial Officer at LINK, said:

“While more people are switching to digital banking and payments, we know that many people still rely on and choose to use cash. That’s why we’re delighted to recommend Gorseinon as one of 11 new hubs today.”

Related stories on bank closures

Barclays confirms closure of bank branches in Gorseinon and Port Talbot
Barclays shut its Gorseinon branch in February 2022, saying only 83 customers used it exclusively, with most already banking online or by phone.

Senedd Member speaks out on ‘deeply disappointing’ Lloyds response on Pontardawe bank closure
Sioned Williams MS warned the closure would leave the entire Swansea Valley without a single bank branch, affecting up to 25,000 people.

TSB announces closure of Carmarthen branch
TSB confirmed its Blue Street branch would close in September 2024, with just five customers regularly using it for personal or business banking.

‘Deep disappointment’ over NatWest’s Neath branch closure
Senedd Member Sioned Williams said the decision was a “scandal” that would hit local businesses and vulnerable residents in Neath.

Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Lloyds was one of the only banks still open in Gorseinon. In fact, Lloyds has announced its branch will close in October 2025, which was a catalyst for the new banking hub. The branch remains open until then.

#bank #bankClosure #BankingHub #Barclays #CashAccessUK #Gorseinon #HSBC #Link #LloydsBank #money #Natwest #PostOffice #PrincipalityBuildingSociety #TSB

Plaid MS challenges LINK over Pontardawe banking hub snub

Plaid Cymru Senedd Member for South Wales West, Sioned Williams, has written to LINK — the UK’s cash access coordinator — to dispute its assessment that Pontardawe does not require additional cash services after Lloyds Bank closes its branch this November. LINK is funded by the UK’s banks and building societies to assess community needs and ensure access to cash across the country.

The closure of Lloyds will leave the entire Swansea Valley without a physical bank, prompting widespread concern. LINK’s original review concluded that existing cash access in Pontardawe was sufficient, despite calls from residents and businesses for a dedicated banking hub.

In response, Ms Williams has compiled a detailed evidence pack including letters from local businesses, charities, councillors, residents and Pontardawe Town FC, challenging the practicality of LINK’s verdict. She argues that the assessment fails to reflect the “facts on the ground”, citing the town’s reliance on cash-based trade, limited public transport links to Neath, and the broader impact on surrounding communities such as Rhos, Clydach, Gwaun-cae-Gurwen, Cwmllynfell and Ystalyfera.

While Lloyds has pledged to provide a Community Banker in Pontardawe, this service will be limited to fortnightly visits and will not handle transactions — a move Ms Williams says falls short of meeting local needs.

Sioned Williams said:

“When LINK assessed Pontardawe in the wake of the news that Lloyds Bank will close – the last bank in the Swansea Valley – they concluded that there were sufficient banking services nearby. This is a decision that I am still disputing after hearing the feelings aired in the public meeting I held, in ongoing conversations with residents and local businesses, and because this is my town and my bank.”

She added that many businesses operate on a cash-only basis and would be forced to close temporarily to travel to Neath for banking — a journey complicated by the infrequent 256 bus service, which runs fewer than ten times daily.

Sioned Williams said:

“While the people of Pontardawe and the wider area are under no illusions that financial services are changing, all they – and I – ask is that their request for a banking hub be given proper and full consideration with appropriate attention paid to the facts on the ground.”

The campaign to retain banking services in Pontardawe has gained momentum in recent months. In July, local MP Christina Rees wrote to the CEO of Lloyds Banking Group urging the bank to reconsider its decision to close the branch, citing the impact on vulnerable residents and small businesses. Ms Williams also previously criticised Lloyds’ response to community concerns as “deeply disappointing” and lacking in meaningful engagement.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

MP calls on Lloyds CEO to halt closure of Pontardawe branch
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Senedd member speaks out on “deeply disappointing” Lloyds response on Pontardawe bank closure
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#ATM #bankClosure #banking #cashpoint #Clydach #Cwmllynfell #GwaunCaeGurwen #Link #LloydsBank #Pontardawe #Rhos #SionedWilliamsMS #SwanseaValley #Ystalyfera

‘Deep disappointment’ over NatWest’s Neath branch closure

The Neath NatWest branch is known to be a hub for local banking services and is sometimes used for events like the NatWest Ospreys Cup semi-final draw. 

Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru Member of Senedd for South Wales West, whose office is 500 feet from the NatWest Neath branch in the town centre, has expressed her “deep disappointment” in the closure decision.

Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru Member of Senedd for South Wales West, said: “I have today written to NatWest to express my concern at the impact of their decision to close the Neath branch, and ask them to rethink their decision. 

“This is the latest in the ongoing trend of high-street banks closing their physical premises, cutting many individuals and businesses off from in-person banking services.

“High Street Banks are quick to advertise themselves as the heart of community, and happy to profit from that, but are quick to forget the responsibility that should lie with that position. I think it’s a scandal that banks which make huge profits are not obliged to provide services to the communities that have been their faithful customers for decades.

“The gap left behind by these high street banks are more than just the empty shop fronts. Ensuring that we retain the ability to transact with cash in our communities is a matter of fairness and inclusion, and it will be a blow to local businesses in Neath who use NatWest and are trying so hard to keep the town centre vibrant and flourishing and to the customers who want and need local in-person banking services.”

#bankClosure #Natwest #Neath #PlaidCymru #SionedWilliamsMS

MP calls on Lloyds CEO to halt closure of Pontardawe branch

Speaking in Parliament, the Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP condemned the wave of bank closures across rural Wales. He described it as a betrayal of loyal customers who have been abandoned in the name of profit.

He criticised Lloyds CEO Charlie Nunn, who received a five point six million pound pay package last year while overseeing the closure of more than one hundred and forty branches including those in Presteigne, Ystradgynlais and Brecon, and now Pontardawe. David Chadwick MP accused him of disregarding and causing ‘misery’ to elderly and vulnerable people throughout his constituency.

Commenting, David Chadwick MP said: “Lloyds claims it is closing branches due to lack of footfall. Yet in Pontardawe the queues regularly run out the door. That is not a lack of demand. It is a deliberate choice to walk away from loyal customers.

“Charlie Nunn took home over five and a half million pounds last year. His customers in Pontardawe are being offered nothing more than a visit to community banker once a month. It is insulting, and it must be put right.

“The planned closure of the Lloyds branch in Pontardawe has sparked much local anger. With more than five hundred residents signing a petition asking for it to remain open.

“The closure would leave thousands of people in the Swansea Valley without access to in-person banking. These are people who have entrusted Lloyds with their life savings, who Lloyds have profited off for decades.

“The banks may have forgotten their customers in Wales, but I have not.

“That is why I am calling on Lloyds CEO, Charlie Nunn to reverse this decision and show some understanding of the harm these closures are causing.”

#bankClosure #DavidChadwickMP #LloydsBank #Pontardawe #WelshLiberalDemocrats

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Senedd Member speaks out on ‘deeply disappointing’ Lloyds response on Pontardawe bank closure

Following her campaign to challenge the closure of Lloyds Bank in Pontardawe, which has gained hundreds of responses, all of whom are in favour of keeping the branch open, Lloyds Bank agreed to meet with Sioned Williams to discuss their decision.

Ms Williams has described the response from the multi-national bank as “deeply disappointing” and their planned departure as a “betrayal” although has welcomed their offer of support to help locals with other banking options, including their commitment to run a Lloyds Community Banker Service in the town.

A Community Banker, while not able to handle transactions, will provide face to face support for people who have questions about accounts and services. However, Lloyds indicated that this would only be available once a fortnight in Pontardawe, and their plan was to encourage people to use their online or telephone banking services.

Lloyds do not currently have an Welsh language version of their online banking, although there are options to speak to people in Welsh on the telephone.

Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru Member of Senedd for South Wales West, said: “The decision by Lloyds Bank to close the branch in Pontardawe has left a sense of betrayal for residents and businesses alike. I was keen to impart in my meeting with Lloyds the fact that this decision doesn’t just impact the people of Pontardawe – because this is the last bank in the entire Swansea Valley, it impacts up to 25,000 people.

“While Lloyds insisted that they wrote to everyone lives near and who uses the branch, even if their account sort code is elsewhere, I received no such letter and I both live in Pontardawe, and frequent the branch! I was able to secure a commitment from them to look again at their list of customers in scope.

“I also made clear that the closure of the branch will impact our most vulnerable people. Travelling to Swansea or Neath is not an option for everyone, and many people who signed my petition have told me that they’re not able to or want to use online banking services – not everyone owns a computer, and not everyone has good internet connection in Wales!

“What particularly stings is that Lloyds closed their Ystradgynlais Branch on the basis they had a branch in Pontardawe. People from across the Swansea Valley come to Pontardawe for the bank, and this is rightly causing great concern for local businesses. While Lloyds reviewed transaction data for local businesses, they did not survey those businesses before making their decision, and the concern is that the removal of the bank will force those businesses to go cashless. This will impact people who do not have access to a bank card, such as those with a learning disability, and those who prefer to transact in cash.

“Lloyds Bank have promised me that no customer will be ‘left behind’ and they will look at the resource which will be allocated to the Pontardawe Branch to ensure customers have the time to learn about other options, but the fact remains that it won’t be the same. While Lloyds reassured me that 77% of Pontardawe Branch customers are interacting with banking in different ways too, I’m fighting for the quarter of customers who only interact in branch, and for our local businesses.

“Here we have a multi-national bank that’s forcing change on customers who are telling them loud and clear they want and need a physical branch. This is not a customer-first approach, it’s a corporation-first approach and their initial response is deeply disappointing.

“Thank you to everyone who has taken time to tell me how the branch closure will specifically impact them – please keep your examples coming, as the fight isn’t over yet.”

(Lead image: Plaid Cymru)

#bankClosure #LloydsBank #Pontardawe #SionedWilliamsMS #SwanseaValley #Ystradgynlais

📢 Attention all customers of Republic First Bank! 🏦 We have important news to share with you. 🚨

We regret to inform you that it has been closed by state regulators. However, we assure you that your funds are safe and accessible. 🛡️

Your deposits are now under the protection of the FDIC.
Fulton Bank has taken over the Bank's assets and branches.
You can still access your funds via checks or ATMs as early as tonight.

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https://usanewstrendingtoday.blogspot.com/2024/04/republic-first-bank-closes-what.html