BARCLAYS Bank’s community hub in Newton Abbot was the venue for a fact finding trip by neighbouring Torbay MP Kevin Foster.

Mr Foster paid a visit to the hub, which operates out of Newton Abbot library, to see how the service works ahead of Barclays pulling its branch in Torquay.

Bank bosses decided to shut the Fleet Street branch in Torquay and Mr Foster subsequently met with the bank to raise concerns about the impact it would have on more vulnerable customers. 

As part of his talks, he was told that Barclays had signed a lease for agreement to use space in Torquay library to be the base for the town’s community hub. 

To see a hub in action, Mr Foster was invited to see the Newton Abbot scheme which has been operating for 12 months after the town centre Barclays branch also closed. 

Mr Foster said: ‘It was better than I expected, providing an open space for customers to meet bank staff who were available to deal with customers queries. 

‘Whilst there I saw customers pop in with queries on a range of banking issues, along with one family who had booked an appointment following a bereavement.

‘Whilst it does not fully replicate a branch-based service, I did get some reassurance about there still being an easily available face to face service for the most vulnerable customers at Torquay Library after their branch closes.’