The rapid closure of several banks and building societies in Prestatyn in recent years hugely reduced the number of ATMs in the town centre and removed many long-established banking facilities. The remaining ATMs were largely confined to the shopping park and were frequently out of service. Some in-person banking services have been facilitated by some banks but not in a satisfactory or sustainable way.
I have been very aware of the impact this has had on many businesses and individuals for whom access to cash and banking services remain vital. I have been determined to restore adequate levels of ATM provision in the town and explore all options to restore as many banking facilities as possible.
As a part of my efforts, I ran a campaign through which local people and businesses could share their views and emphasise the impact the reduction in ATMs was having on them. This also increased awareness of the loss of wider facilities and pressure on the Post Office.
In addition to this public campaign, I liaised with local banks and shops, cash machine network company LINK, as well as ATM providers, including Notemachine, Cardtronics, PayPoint and YourCash.
I am delighted that the aims of the campaign have now well and truly been met, with new free-to-use Cardtronics machines at Principality Building Society, at Jenny’s (130 High Street), and at Meliden Road Post Office.
While the success of the campaign was very welcome news, I knew that there remained more to be done to ensure that banking services in Prestatyn were up to scratch. To help ensure this, amongst other efforts, I signed a pledge supporting the UK’s cash infrastructure and I continued my efforts to secure a new banking hub for the town. This opened in December 2023.
