Broadland MP Jerome Mayhew says new mobile banking will come to Fakenham after NatWest branch closes

Residents have been promised a mobile banking facility as their town’s only branch prepares to shut.

The NatWest bank in Fakenham, on the corner of Market Place and Bridge Street, will close on August 10, with bosses citing a drop in customers and a growing move to online services.

This led to Jerome Mayhew, the MP for Broadland, joining councillors Tom Fitzpatrick, Christopher Cushing and Liz Vickers in a meeting with the bank’s regional director.

Mr Mayhew said was “really concerned about the constant drip of bank closures” in the area, “leaving our town without a safe and convenient place” to handle financial matters.

And now, NatWest has agreed to provide one-to-one coaching to every customer who does not currently use any other form of banking – as well as a permanent mobile service on Wednesday afternoons.

Plans are also in place to add Thursdays to that schedule, which is a market day in Fakenham.

Mr Mayhew said: “Whilst we have to accept that the way most people do their banking has radically changed over the last few years, older and more vulnerable customers are at risk of being left behind, so it is important that banks go the extra mile to look after these loyal customers.”

The mobile service will be on offer while the town’s post office is closed – but NatWest has now also agreed to work with councillors to try and install a permanent post office too.

Mr Mayhew added: “NatWest agreed with us that it was crucial that Fakenham should have a permanent, five days a week, post office.

“As part of their closure plans they will be making funds available to the post office to provide some of their banking services.

“We want to use this additional income source for the post office to make the case for long term investment in Fakenham so that we can have a permanent post office.”