Banking hubs coming soon to Horwich and Westhoughton

The NatWest on Lee Lane in Horwich is now the only bank left to have survived a wave of closures across the Bolton West area, which has lost 90 per cent of its banks since 2015.

But Bolton West MP Chris Green says that proposed “banking hubs” will soon be set up in both Horwich and Westhoughton to make up for the loss.

He said: “Many of my constituents right across the Bolton West constituency get in touch with me sharing their concerns about the reduction of banking services.

“Having to go to Bolton, having to go to Leigh, or Wigan to use them.

Bolton West's last surviving bank, a NatWest on Lee Lane in Horwich (Image: Google Maps)

“There’s one bank left, the NatWest here in Horwich and that is due to close down in the near future.”

He added: “Now we need a banking hub here in Horwich, in Westhoughton and also in Atherton.

“We don’t yet know where the Westhoughton and Horwich banking hubs are going to be but we’re anticipating the selection of the sites in the near future.

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“So I think at the moment we are going to have to watch this space because these are vital services that our community needs.”

Mr Green, who was first elected as MP for Bolton West as a Conservative in May 2015, has frequently spoken out about the state of banking in his area.

NatWest announced early in 2023 that the Horwich branch had been earmarked for closure, while Westhoughton already lost its last surviving bank, a branch of Lloyds on Market Street, in 2022.

Last month, Cash Access UK said they were already looking at two possible locations for banking hubs in the Bolton West area.