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FOR millions of us, a walk down our local high street paints a grim picture – empty bank branches standing as silent reminders of a bygone era.

The decline in high street banking has left many communities without convenient access to essential services.

But last month, I visited Acton to try out a new service aiming to reverse this depressing trend.

The vibrant suburb of West London is one of many areas across the UK where local bank branches have become relics of the past.

Major banks like Barclays, HSBC, NatWest, Santander, and TSB have all closed their doors here, forcing residents to travel to neighbouring districts of London to do their basic banking.

The once-bustling bank sites now stand vacant, their windows plastered with forlorn posters advertising services that are no longer available.

Since January 2015, banks and building societies have shuttered 6,128 branches, according to consumer group Which?.

The ATM network LINK reports that an additional 215 branches will close between now and August 2025.

But in the midst of this banking exodus, a new service is stepping up in an attempt to fill the void.

“Banking hubs” promise to bring essential banking services back to communities like Acton.

These innovative brick-and-mortar services, run by the Post Office on behalf of various banks, ensure that people still have access to in-person banking.

The hubs have representatives from a number of different banks in one place.

Just this morning, ATM network LINK announced that an additional 15 locations have been added to a list of 71 banking hubs set to open in the future.

But are these hubs a viable alternative? That’s what I was in Acton to investigate.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

At first glance, the site in The Oaks Shopping Centre appears just like any other bank branch.

It features an ATM for free cash withdrawals, seats and side tables stocked with paying-in forms, and a dedicated meeting room to the left for consultations between staff and customers.

But what truly sets this place apart for me is the atmosphere inside.

The hub has a cosy, welcoming feel – totally different from the cold, impersonal vibe I’m used to in traditional bank branches.

Plus, on entry I’m greeted by the cashier at the desk at the far end – something I’ve never experienced when visiting one of my own bank’s branches.

There’s a notable lack of advertising in the banking hub, too.

In fact, the only bit of advertising I see is for the Post Office, which runs these branches.

However, what truly sets these branches apart is the ability to make cash and cheque deposits at a counter, regardless of which bank you use.

On the wall to my right, I’m greeted by 12 different cheque deposit slips, from 12 different banks.

Opposite this is a private meeting room where customers can consult with staff representing their banks about more complex matters.

On this day, HSBC has a member of its branch team on site to help local customers.

These community bankers can help with tasks ranging from changing your card PIN to setting up new payments or transfers.

At first glance, it seems as though I have everything I could possibly need in one place.

I must admit, I’m not one for cash and I don’t use it every day.

However, I fully appreciate its importance for many people and the need for local deposit services.

This is especially important for local businesses and tradespeople who need to do a nightly bank drop.

And, it means those in the locality no longer need to venture far from home to do this.

It takes me less than two minutes to hand over two £20 notes to the branch worker, insert my debit card into the chip and PIN reader, and bam – the money lands in my account.

But this is just one of a handful of services on offer here.

I speak with one visitor who is a customer of HSBC, Barclays, and Santander, all of which have closed their branches in the local area.

She tells me the local Banking Hub is a “lifeline” for the entire community, adding: “This should be a requirement in every town centre without a bank branch.

“I’ve come in today because one of my bank apps wouldn’t process a cheque I’d uploaded.

“Thankfully, I can still pop down the road and get it deposited here.

“I’d have had to travel three miles away to do this without the Hub,” she adds.

Another visitor praises the help she received after being shown how to set up her banking app.

Unlike traditional bank branches, which more often than not have been reducing their opening hours, Banking Hubs offer a great deal of flexibility.

All sites are open Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.

However, selected branches, includin Acton’s Hub also open up to customers on a Saturday between 9am and 1pm.

MORE HUBS ON THE WAY

There are currently 76 operational banking hubs, with another 87 in the pipeline.

However, Britain’s banks agreed last week to establish 350 more hubs over the next five years.

Under the deal reached between the Treasury and banks, approximately 230 hubs will be opened by the end of 2025, with the remaining 120 to be rolled out by the end of the parliamentary term – around 2029.

The location of banking hubs is determined by LINK and Cash Access UK, which review communities based on various criteria, including the number of shops in the area, transport links to the area, and local levels of deprivation.

Cash Access UK is a not-for-profit organisation owned and funded by major banks.

From the day a hub is recommended for an area, it typically takes around 12 months for it to open to the public.

THE PITFALLS

If you primarily rely on basic banking services such as cash and cheque deposits, withdrawals, and payment transfers, Banking Hubs are excellent.

However, they don’t cover everything, and you’ll still need to visit one of your bank’s branches for more complex needs.

The community banking services appear useful on paper, but they have significant limitations.

For example, while a customer can enquire about products like credit cards or mortgages, that’s all they can do – enquire. 

To sign up for a new card or take out a loan, you’d still need to visit one of your bank’s branches.

Of course, a lot of these products can be taken out online, but understandably not everyone has the capacity to do this.

Of course, many of these products can be obtained online, but understandably, not everyone has the capacity to do this.

Plus, you may find that your bank might not provide a community banker at your local Hub, after all their not forced to do so.

While Banking Hubs are starting to bridge the gap with traditional high street bank services, they still have some way to go before they can fully replicate all services.

ALTERNATIVES TO BANKING HUBS

There are still a number of ways people can access basic banking services without having to venture to another town with a branch.

You can use one of the Post Office’s 11,684 branches to perform basic banking tasks — but not to open new bank accounts or take personal loans and mortgages.

You can find your nearest Post Office branch by visiting postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder.

Meanwhile, many banks offer a mobile banking service – where they bring a bus to your area offering services you can usually get at a physical branch.

Other banks use buildings such as village halls or libraries to offer mobile banking services.

It’s worth contacting your bank to see what mobile services they have available, and when they might next be in your area.

In June, it was announced that new “super ATMs” would be launched in 17 UK locations where branch closures have left residents without access to essential banking services.

The ATMs will allow customers to withdraw funds, access their balance, change PIN numbers and deposit cash.

Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Halifax, Lloyds, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank are already signed up to allow deposits at the super ATMs, with more banks set to sign up soon.

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IT is impossible to miss the bright pink MINISO store when I turn onto Camden High Street.

Like many people, I’ve seen the vibrant brand pop up in my local town, but I wasn’t entirely sure what products it sold or what the prices were like.

The Chinese retailer has been trading in the UK for five years, opening its first shop in Ealing, West London, but has flown relatively under the radar.

However, it now has 29 sites around the UK including spots in London’s Oxford Street, Westfield Stratford City and Manchester’s Arndale centre.

And if there is not one on your local high street, there could be soon, as Miniso revealed to The Sun it’s planning open 30 new stores over the next 18 months – taking its total to 59 stores.

That’s more than twice as many stores as iconic Swedish retailer IKEA and will put it on par with Danish store Flying Tiger, which sells an eclectic mix of households items and gifts.

Flying Tiger, however, has been forced to reduce its estate in recent years pulling out of the US market in 2020, while Miniso is plotting growth.

The stores are very colourful and you can expect to see a really random selection of products featuring children’s characters such as Hello Kitty and Pokemon.

I decided to check out the stores Camden branch which opened in February to see what the hype is about.

The first thing that hit me was how bright and colourful the store was – it was definitely unlike anything I had seen on the high street in recent years.

Walking around the shop, you definitely no longer feel like you are in Britain, with the shelves packed with southeast Asian snacks such as Strawberry flavoured Kit Kats.

Miniso was originally inspired by Japan’s 100 Yen convenience stores, which are much like the £1 bargain stores we are familiar with here in the UK.

So if you enjoy hunting around Poundland or B&M Bargains, I think you would enjoy shopping here.

Upon arrival, I made a bee-line for the beauty counter, which is a new fixture in Miniso stores.

The prices were very affordable with lipstick costing just £4.99 and a mascara for the same price.

Eyeshadows and lipliners were also up for grabs and they had a range of colours on offer.

If you are a regular at the Primark beauty counter, I think you would enjoy the range that Minsio stocks as the prices are very similar.

This particular store in Camden also had a range of Barbie makeup bags and other accessories inspired by the iconic doll.

Keeping things cheap

Despite inflation easing, price still plays a big factor in whether or not shoppers will spend at the till.

I spoke with Saad Usam, managing director at Miniso in the UK, and he told me that the average customer spends £15 when they shop in the store.

But he added that up to 85% of its products are priced under £15, making it a real bargain chain.

For example, storage boxes cost just £1 and a range of mugs are on sale for £6 or less.

Mr Saad told me that during the pandemic, Minsio increased its prices slightly due to inflation, but in April last year they were lowered again by 15%.

If you are an adult walking past this store, it is easy to think that with the bright colours and images of Hello Kitty, it is just centred towards young children.

But it may be a hidden gem for picking up pieces for your home at a bargain price.

You can get a plain storage box for your fridge for £4.50 and a mouse for your computer for £15.

If you are a parent or shopping for a young child, the prices are quite reasonable with a cuddly toy costing £10.99.

The store also sells mystery goodie bags which can cost anywhere from £14.99 to £19.99.

While Miniso has an online store, Saad explains that most of its trade comes from in-store.

“A lot of our product is about touching and feeling,” he explains.

With a number of retailers vanishing from the high street, I was also curious to know how Miniso was breaking the mould and remaining confident in the UK retail market.

He explains that a constantly evolving product range is the key, alongside its affordable price point.

He added: “You need to have engaging, exciting spaces to invite customers in.

“Beauty is a huge category in the UK, and it’s something that we are tapping into at the affordable and high-quality level.”

What is happening to the British high street?

Miniso’s apparent success comes amid a challenging time for the whole of the UK’s retail sector. 

High inflation coupled with a squeeze on consumers’ finances has meant people have less money to spend in the shops. 

Also, the rising popularity of online shopping has meant people are favouring digital ordering over visiting a physical store.

Unseasonably wet weather has also deterred shoppers from hitting the high street. 

This ongoing issue has seen brands such as Paperchase, and The Body Shop collapse.

Minso appears to be one of the brands bucking this trend, with plans to open 30 stores in the next 12-18 months and up to 50 over the next five years.

The Sun recently compiled a list of all the new international brands opening on British high streets, which you can read here.

DECLAN RICE was rightly sent off for kicking the ball away against Brighton – according to refs’ chief Howard Webb.

Speaking on this season’s first edition of decision review show “Match Officials Mic’d Up”, Webb said referee Chris Kavanagh had “no choice” other than to dismiss the England star.

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Declan Rice was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away against Brighton[/caption]

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The midfielder was left baffled, but Howard Webb claims he was right to be sent off[/caption]

Rice was handed a second yellow by Kavanagh for nudging the ball away as Brighton’s Joel Veltman was taking a free-kick.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was outraged by the call – which cost him Rice’s services in the north London derby win at Spurs.

But the audio of the conversations between Kavanagh and VAR Andy Madley shows the referee felt he had to give Rice the second yellow – even though he was unhappy at doing so.

Kavanagh said “Declan Rice has kicked the ball away. I don’t like it, I don’t like it. But he’s knocked the ball. He’s kicked the ball.”

His VAR, Andy Madley, confirms that decision, telling Kavanagh: “It’s all checked and cleared. It’s exactly as seen.”

And Webb agreed: “As you hear from Chris Kavanagh, he’s clearly seen Declan Rice commit a foul, then kick the ball away for an opponent that was in the process of taking a free-kick.

“We’ve messaged very clearly and strongly to the players in pre-season around the importance of not getting involved with the ball once the whistle is gone, not delaying the restart in that way.

“Once he’s seen Declan Rice deliberately, clearly kick that ball away from the position of that free-kick, then I don’t think he’s got any choice.”

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Webb, though, did say Kavanagh was WRONG not to issue Brighton’s Joao Pedro with a yellow card for a similar incident in the first half of the game.

He said: “It’s a different type of scenario. But it sits in the same kind of book around delaying the restart. Of course, he should have been cautioned here.

“The officials on the field gave him too much benefit of doubt, feeling that the actions weren’t really impactful because they felt that the Arsenal players were not ready to take that throw-in.

“That should have been the yellow card. And we’ve certainly messaged that back to the officials.”

The Rice incident was among five decisions from the first three weeks of the campaign that were reviewed by Webb.

Webb said: “In this situation, the ball strikes Ouattara’s shoulder, upper-arm area. It’s hard to be totally conclusive as to exactly where and I don’t think that’s conclusive enough to intervene.

“It goes back to ‘referee’s call’. It’s an important concept. And for those factual matters you need evidence. It’s very clear that the on-field call is wrong, I don’t think we have it here.

But Webb confirmed that VAR was right to overturn a penalty initially awarded for a “foul” by Lewis Dunk on Dominic Calvert-Lewin in Brighton’s opening day win at Everton.

He also agreed that Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic did not deserve to concede a handball penalty in the first weekend win at Chelsea and that Wout Faes’ goal for Leicester at Fulham, originally ruled out for offside against Jamie Vardy, was correctly awarded.

TORY leadership hopeful Tom Tugendhat today demanded ministers review Huw Edwards’ sentencing decision.

The Shadow Security Minister wrote to Attorney General Richard Hermer KC requesting a formal review under the Unduly Lenient Sentences regime.

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Politicians have begun demanding a probe into the sentences handed down to disgraced former broadcaster Huw Edwards[/caption]

Mr Tugendhat blasted the courts for slapping Edwards with a sentence “inconsistent with the guidelines set forth by the Sentencing Council for such offences”.

THE Tesla app, which customers use to communicate with their smart cars remotely, has crashed for a number of users.

People having issues with the app say they are being met with a banner warning their device has “no internet connection” – even when it is connected to Wi-Fi.

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Tesla owners have flocked to social media platform X to see whether it is a more widespread problem[/caption]

Other apps on customers’ devices are fine, according to reports from users, so it appears the issue lies with Tesla.

Tesla owners have flocked to social media platform X to see whether it is a more widespread problem.

“Is everyone’s Tesla app working ok?,” one customer asked.

“Just noticed mines been saying “no internet connection” for maybe all night, yet most other things on my phone are ok.”

Another added: “Is anyone else’s Tesla app being weird? My car is just completely gone from my app and I can’t access any of the controls, or see any of my insurance information.

“I can’t wait to get rid of this car.”

Others have said they can communicated with their car through a third party app, but not with Tesla’s official platform.

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