A charity near Harrogate that provides riding therapy to vulnerable children has been plunged into turmoil by the sudden closure of its bank account.
Sarah Kekoa, founder of Autism Angels, said Barclays told her last week it had inadvertently closed the account and would reactivate it within 48 hours.
But nine days later the issue remains unresolved, leaving the charity unable to pay staff or cash-in cheques worth tens of thousands of pounds.
Ms Kekoa told the Stray Ferret she was desperate for the situation to be resolved quickly because it threatened the organisation’s reputation and ongoing viability. She said:
“We can’t pay anyone — it is absolutely diabolical. Our money is somewhere in the ether.
“We deal with some extremely vulnerable children. We have to be here for them and their families and this is putting us in a very difficult situation.”
Sarah Kekoa (centre) with colleagues at Autism Angels.
Ms Kekoa said the charity’s five staff, who are paid weekly, had continued to work despite missing out on their latest wages.
She said three families of her family had banked with Barclays and Autism Angels had been a Barclays customer for 11 years but she was “beyond frustrated” at the length of time the matter was taking to resolve.
She added staff at her local branch had been helpful but it appeared to be a classic case of “computer says no” with messages not being acted upon.
The Stray Ferret has seen an email from Barclays to Autism Angels, dated Friday last week, in which it said it was “trying to get your bank account opened as soon as possible” and apologising for any inconvenience.
Autism Angels, which is based in Summerbridge, near Pateley Bridge, helps people with autism, mental health issues and in crisis ride horses and ponies for therapy.
A Barclays Spokesperson said:
“As part of our ongoing responsibility to help prevent financial crime, and to meet our regulatory obligations, we are required to keep up to date information regarding our customers’ accounts.
“We share a series of communications with our customers including writing to them by post, through alert banners on our digitally active customers’ online and mobile banking as well as reminder SMS text messages and emails asking customers to supply us with some important information relating to their Barclays business account.
“In cases where we do not receive a response with up-to-date account information, we will proceed with the application of card blocks and account restrictions, ahead of issuing final closure arrangements. Therefore, it is very important that account holders respond to these requests.”
Trespass applies to open in former Ripon bank
A new Trespass store looks set to open in the former Barclays bank in Ripon.
The bank closed its doors on Market Place in August last year.
Barclays made decision despite the number of counter transactions at the branch increasing in the two years to March 2020.
Now, Jacob and Turner Ltd, which trades under the name Trespass, has applied to North Yorkshire Council for advertising consent at the site.
It would see two signs implemented at the former bank site.
North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.
The Stray Ferret approached Trespass to ask why it had chosen the site in Ripon and if it had further details on an opening date, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
The outdoor clothing specialist currently has a store on Harrogate’s James Street.
Halifax closure leaves Ripon with one remaining bank
Following this afternoon’s closure of the Halifax, Ripon will have one remaining bank and no access outside shopping hours to city centre cash machines.
The closure comes less than three months after the long-established Barclays branch closed its doors on August 25, leaving HSBC – which has no external cash machine – as Ripon’s only bank.
The Barclays bank Ripon branch closed in August.
Cash machines are available during shopping hours at Sainsbury’s on Market Place East and Booths at the Marshall Way Retail Park.
Announcing its branch closure in July, Halifax said in a statement:
“Like many other high street businesses, we’ve seen people using our branches less frequently in recent years as more customers choose to do most of their everyday banking online.
“We’re responding to the way our customers use our branches. We’ll continue to invest in our branch network, but we have to make sure our branches are where customers need and use them most.
“As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to close this branch because customers are using it less often. In addition the majority of customers are also using alternative ways to bank.”
A report produced by Barclays in May to explain the rationale behind its closure decision, showed that more than 3,000 customers visited regularly for personal or business banking purposes in the last year.
But the bank added that only 121 customers use the branch exclusively for banking. Eighty percent of customers also use online and telephone banking.
The report said 41% of Ripon customers also use nearby branches, such as Harrogate and Thirsk.
Barclays bank in Ripon is to close in August even though the amount of counter transactions is going up.
The branch, on Market Place, currently opens four days a week, from Monday to Thursday.
A report explaining the reasons for closure says the number of counter transactions went up in the two years to March 2020.
It added that more than 3,000 customers visited regularly for personal or business banking purposes in the last year.
But only 121 customers use the branch exclusively for banking. Eighty percent of customers also use online and telephone banking.
The report says 41% of Ripon customers also use nearby branches, such as Harrogate and Thirsk.
Barclays, which will close on August 25, is one of five banks currently open in the city alongside HSBC, Halifax, Skipton Building Society and Yorkshire Building Society.
Last year it announced the closure of its Wetherby branch.
Barclays begins Knaresborough mobile bank trial today
Barclays bank will trial a mobile banking service in Knaresborough over three days this summer, starting today.
The mobile bank will be available in Harrogate Borough Council’s Chapel Street car park and customers of the bank can drop in or book an appointment through this website.
The bank will be there today as well as on June 17 and July 20. Its opening hours are 9.45am to 2.30pm.
Knaresborough’s last bank, Halifax, closed its doors for good in February this year. News of the bank’s closure prompted 1,200 people to sign a petition to keep it open.
Last year, Harrogate Borough Council ran a consultation to gather views on Knaresborough banking services.
Cllr Graham Swift, the council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development, said:
“The issues regarding banking availability in Knaresborough have been well documented, and Councillor Darling, particularly, has pushed hard to seek new, flexible solutions.
:Officers have also worked very hard to seek a potential solution and this trial with Barclays is the result of a lot of work and persistence.
“I would encourage the residents of Knaresborough to embrace this lifeline and use the service as much as possible. Retail and banking services are going through great change, and persistent use and strong demand are critical to retain this trial. We are very grateful to Barclays and everybody involved in getting this to happen.”