business-news@doorindustryjournal.co.uk BUSINESSES ARE LOSING ABILITY TO BANK LOCALLY


At a time when fuel costs are going through the roof, small businesses face travelling further to bank their takings.


Britain’s banks are breaking their pledges to rural towns not to close the last bank branches, leaving local businesses without access to cash and other banking facilities.


Lloyds Bank in Potton, Bedfordshire is just one example of what is happening. This branch was saved for the town in 1998 and protected subsequently by a pledge by Lloyds not to close where it was the ‘last bank in town’.


This time the bank is not listening and neither are others. HSBC closed 54 branches in 2010, many in small communities, and has already named others like Alderley Edge, Goring and Hoylake (listed below) for early in 2011. NatWest has slashed hours of opening in many community branches, usually a precursor to closure, and closed others. New victims of the renewed Lloyds TSB purge are coming in daily now that Lloyds Group has completed closing all its Halifax third party agencies.


The latest closures include:


Barclays - 22 closures Where they are the last bank in town: Bedfont, Middlesex; Kelvedon, Essex; Southminster, Essex Where they are the last-but-one bank in town:


Burnham Market, Norfolk; Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria; Knottingley, Yorks; Milnsbridge, Yorks; Penryn, Cornwall; Rhayader; Powys; Shildon, Co. Durham; Silsden, Yorks; Wendover, Bucks;


Lloyds - 9 closures Where they are the last bank in town:


Barton-under-Needwood, Staffs; Netley Abbey, Hants; Potton, Beds; Bilton, Rugby; Stockbridge, Hants;Wainfleet, Lincs; Yarmouth, Isle ofWight


None of this need be happening for the alternative of shared branching, ‘the community bank’, has been academically validated here as “operationally feasible and financially viable” and successfully operates throughout the United States. The twelve years since Potton and many other branches were saved have been WASTED YEARS as the industry has failed to properly trial neutral shared branching and successive governments have failed to impose obligations on banks to service communities adequately in the manner of the US Community Reinvestment Act.


Data Source: Campaign for Community Banking www.communitybanking.org.uk


HSBC - 9 closures Where they are the last bank in town:


Hoylake, Cheshire; Stamford Bridge, Yorkshire;Whitburn, Tyne andWear


ONLINE VAN-HIRE SERVICE LEASES LIFE INTO THE UK


BUSINESS COMMUNITY A new online service is providing a recession-busting solution to vehicle hire needs.


FLEXXiVan, a low cost, web-based van hire service, has been launched to offer an alternative solution to expensive new vehicles or long term van leases.


The FLEXXiVan website provides a unique service by offering 3 - 24 month contracts, enabling businesses to have complete flexibility when deciding rental terms. It showcases a wide range of commercial vehicles from top of the range brands such as Ford, Citroen and Volkswagen. The service also offers opportunities to rent some vehicles from 1 - 28 days and to provide a single point of call for all van user needs, from breakdown cover and flexible mileage arrangements to insurance and tax renewal.


The ‘one stop’ service aims to ease the financial strain of buying and running a vehicle as research shows van operators are reluctant to buy new ones or commit to long


4 THE door industry journal spring 2011


The Campaign for Community Banking Services pressure group is a co-coordinating body for national organisations representing sectoral interests adversely affected by the closure of local bank branches, particularly of the last or only bank in a rural or urban community. Nearly 1000 communities have lost all their banks; hundreds more will do so in the next 5 years.


term leases. This means business vehicles are becoming older and cost more to keep on the road. Industry statistics suggest that last year a record 50% of initial MOTs failed for class-seven vans.


The launch of FLEXXiVan is the latest service in the long established FLEXXiLease group, which has provided short term vehicle leasing to over 15,000 drivers since 2004.


Mel Goodliffe, managing director said: “After the success of FLEXXiLease over the last seven years, we became aware that there was significant demand for a flexible commercial van hire service, especially for small businesses and sole traders who may not want to risk an expensive long term lease or van purchase.


“Historically, van leasing contracts have required a 4-5 year commitment with potential heavy penalties for early termination, but we’ve deliberately made FLEXXiVan different, providing a cost effective approach, shorter leases, lower costs and a lot more freedom.


“Our top priority is to keep van drivers on the road for less, through offering an excellent range of commercial vehicles at unbeatable prices”.


For more information about FLEXXiVan, visit www.flexxivan.co.uk


Also online at: www.doorindustryjournal.co.uk Where they are the last-but-one bank in town:


Goring-on-Thames, Oxon; Mablethorpe, Lincs; Upton-on-Severn, Worcs


business news


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48