Greater Birmingham’s new investment and banking hub formally opened in Stone. This is a big win for the town’s public financial services. Housed in the previous Betfred location, this facility is open and welcoming customers. It is popular with customers of other banks, such as NatWest, Lloyds, Barclays, HSBC and Santander. This new hub’s opening particularly enhances community banking options in the region. It is the third such facility in Staffordshire and the 178th in the UK.
Our banking hub wants to do a community service by providing this face-to-face staffing which is so essential. Local customers, including businesses, can use the hub as an alternative for cash and cheque transactions on weekdays. But first they have to schedule appointments with their bank advisors on specific days, guaranteeing one-on-one service customized to their needs.
Vik Puri, a member of the business representative for the banking IT capital, said he was excited by the new facility’s launch. He highlighted the importance of maintaining personal interactions within banking services, stating, “People want to see face-to-face interactions and still people want to see bankers from the different banks.”
Puri said that for her, the mission of the hub is especially important, as it affects vulnerable populations. He noted that it serves everyone who can’t drive. It is just as important for those who just don’t want to have to travel to surrounding towns for banking services. “Specifically vulnerable people, those who can’t drive, those who don’t want to go to another town,” he explained.
This week’s formal opening of the banking hub follows a year of groundwork and preparation. Puri remarked on the positive reception from the community, saying, “The community is really loving us here. We’ve had a good response.” This feeling of hope is echoed by area entrepreneurs excited at the prospect of reaping the rewards from the new innovation hub.
Marg Walker, owner of the Artisan Boutique directly across the street from the new facility, just bounced in her chair with delight. She dubbed the banking center, “amazing.” She expressed hope that it would increase foot traffic into the town, adding, “It should bring people into the town and be good for all businesses.” The Artisan Boutique, now a craft collective of independent makers and artists, was once an established high street bank. Today, it is poised to capitalize with the explosion in localism.
Julie Johnson, another local resident, shared her excitement about the new banking hub: “We thought we had nothing and now we’ve got somewhere where we can do everything.” This comment belies a deeper community sentiment that is pleased to see banking services, so essential to the community’s vitality, returning.