{"id":544812,"date":"2025-11-02T19:59:28","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T19:59:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/544812\/"},"modified":"2025-11-02T19:59:28","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T19:59:28","slug":"my-parents-cant-do-online-banking-they-can-just-about-send-a-text","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/544812\/","title":{"rendered":"‘My parents can’t do online banking, they can just about send a text’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The town’s last bank is closing, leaving many feeling frustrated and angry\"MiddletonMiddleton town centre(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)<\/p>\n

The last bank in Middleton will soon close its doors, leaving locals feeling \u2018disgusted\u2019.<\/p>\n

The Halifax branch in Middleton<\/a> Gardens was the last holdout, but after years in the town it will close on January 8, 2026. This comes just months after the Natwest on Long Street decided to pack up.<\/p>\n

It marks the end of an era for in-person banking for the Greater Manchester town.<\/p>\n

Anita McCormack has been in Middleton for decades. Stopping on her way to do some shopping, the pensioner explained how this closure will leave many of the elderly feeling isolated.<\/p>\n

Join the Manchester Evening News <\/strong>WhatsApp<\/strong> group <\/strong>HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s disgusting it\u2019s closed,\u201d the 74-year-old explained. \u201cBarclays closed a couple of years ago. They say you can do online banking, but what about those who can\u2019t do technology, especially older people.<\/p>\n

\"AnitaAnita McCormack, on her way to do some shopping in Middleton town centre(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s dreadful, they tell me I should do it online, but I want to speak to a person, not a robot. I just think it\u2019s more social for a lot of people. Those older than me probably don\u2019t speak to people some days.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot everyone is technically minded. But everything is going the same way, everything is closing and going online.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the end of an era for the town centre. They\u2019re taking these things from the older generation, it\u2019s not right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Customers changing the way in which they do their banking is cited as the main reason for the closure of the Middleton Gardens branch.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Halifax bank in Middleton town centre(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

A review into the decision from Halifax went on to say the Oldham<\/a> branch remains open and a banking hub in Heywood<\/a> is also available for customers.<\/p>\n

Beatrice Lowe, taking a break on a bench in the centre of Middleton before heading back to Bowlee Carpets shop, told the Manchester Evening News<\/a>: \u201cI think it\u2019s just disgusting. Where are we going next, they\u2019re only thinking of the young people.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t use the internet or tech. I\u2019ve been with NatWest but it closed in April.<\/p>\n

\u201cI go to Tesco<\/a> to sort a few banking bits. If I need to do something more technical I don\u2019t know what I\u2019d do. I\u2019d have to go to Oldham.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe physical bank, if you\u2019ve got a problem you can discuss it with them. But now you can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"BeatriceBeatrice Lowe, sitting in Middleton Gardens(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

The 82-year-old rubbished Halifax\u2019s reasoning of fewer people banking in person for the closure.<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cIt\u2019s terrible all the banks are going. The world is changing completely. It\u2019s part of the decline of the town centres.<\/p>\n

\u201cNatWest, before it closed, the queues in there were ridiculous. So it\u2019s nothing to do with footfall, it\u2019s because they don\u2019t want to pay as much on staff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"VacantVacant Natwest bank on Long Street, Middleton(Image: Google Maps)<\/p>\n

One woman who just stepped out of the Halifax destined for closure chipped in saying: \u201cI don\u2019t use it very often as my son does it for me. So I don\u2019t think it\u2019ll impact me too much.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing is, they all use cards and machines. I would prefer it if it stayed open, but that’s life, there is nothing I can do about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re forgetting the elderly, they\u2019re not interested in them as we\u2019re not spending as much as they used to.\u201d<\/p>\n

This trend of closing banks has been going on for years, with many due to put the shutters down even earlier than Halifax\u2019s Middleton branch. Major banks, including Lloyds, NatWest, Halifax, Santander, and Barclays, have announced branch closures that will take effect in November.<\/p>\n

In total, 24 banks are due to shutter in November, with Lloyds leading the way. Sixteen of the closures this month affect Lloyds branches, including in Manchester\u2019s Newton<\/a> Heath.<\/p>\n

\"BanksBanks are closing across the UK next month – including the Manchester Newton Heath Lloyds branch(Image: Streetview)<\/p>\n

Banks will disappear from high streets across every region of England, as well as Scotland and Wales. By the end of 2025, more than 500 banks will have shut, according to recent data.<\/p>\n

Paul Warrington paused reading his paper to share his thoughts on the decline of banks in his home town. He fears the damage this could cause with online fraud and scammers posing a huge threat to people\u2019s hard-earned cash.<\/p>\n

\"PaulPaul Warrington, sat reading a newspaper in Middleton Gardens(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

The 51-year-old said: \u201cIt\u2019s Middleton falling apart. It\u2019s not just the banks, it\u2019s everything that was in the past has just gone.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been here for 50 years. My parents bank at Halifax, but I have to walk to Rochdale<\/a>. My parents are in their 70s. They can\u2019t do online banking, they can just about send a text or an email.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything seems to be online now. If you\u2019re older and can\u2019t do that, you seem to be shoved to one side.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s becoming a ghost town in Middleton. There is only Tesco to do the weekly shop, it\u2019s just rubbish. There are no options anymore.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is fear of online fraud as well now so people prefer going in person. I think the scams and fraud is losing trust in online banking so many are going back to in-person banking.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s dangerous, I wouldn\u2019t do online banking if my life depended on it. If you talk to a person you get an honest answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way things are going, we\u2019re being pushed into a corner where we have no say in the matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MiddletonMiddleton town centre(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

There is still a post office in Middleton where residents can withdraw cash and access some banking services, but the general consensus amongst locals is one of frustration.<\/p>\n

No more banks means they would have to travel to Rochdale, Oldham, Manchester or even further afield for a physical bank.<\/p>\n

Join our Christmas in Manchester WhatsApp group HERE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

For those less mobile or without access to a car, this would be a huge issue. However, a pop-up Barclays local is still available to locals, three days a week, at the Lighthouse Project Community Hub within Middleton Shopping Centre.<\/p>\n

A Halifax spokesperson: \u201cThe way people are banking has changed, as more than ever, customers are choosing to manage their money through our app. The local Post Office and Banking Hub offer everyday banking, with cash also available at nearby free-to-use ATMs.<\/p>\n

\u201cCustomers can also manage their money on our app, online or by calling us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Halifax went on to say that they are contacting customers to let them know about the alternate local banking services available.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The town’s last bank is closing, leaving many feeling frustrated and angryMiddleton town centre(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":442838,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[51,9548,1170,1171,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-544812","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-middleton","10":"tag-rochdale","11":"tag-rochdale-council","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115481881613453051","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/544812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=544812"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/544812\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/442838"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=544812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=544812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=544812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}