Caroline Voaden has asked the Prime Minister to back her campaign to open a banking hub in Totnes.

Lloyds Bank announced last month that its Totnes branch will close in January, leaving the thriving market town without a bank.

As soon as she was notified of the closure, the South Devon MP submitted a cash review request through LINK, the public body responsible for carrying out such assessments.

The expectation was that LINK would agree banking services in Totnes would be inadequate once Lloyds closes and would therefore recommend the opening of a banking hub in the town.

However, citing free-to-use ATMs and the Post Office, as well as nearby services in Brixham, Dartmouth, and Paignton, LINK deemed Totnes banking services to be adequate.

Since this decision, Caroline has launched a campaign calling for LINK to reconsider, including a petition that has now garnered over 1,100 signatures.

In response to an earlier question from the MP for Blythe and Ashington, the Prime Minister said that banking hubs can be “rolled out wherever a community needs one.” Caroline asked if that extends to Totnes and if the Prime Minister would join her campaign to open a banking hub.

The Prime Minister promised the South Devon MP a meeting with the relevant Minister where she can make her case for a banking hub in the town.

Caroline, said: “I am thrilled by the Prime Minister’s very positive response to Totnes getting a banking hub. Since I launched my campaign, I have spoken to residents and businesses who are all deeply concerned about the town being left without banking services once Lloyds closes in January. I will continue pursuing this cause and build on the momentum our campaign now has in a meeting with the relevant Minister.”