Cash Access UK and Co-op partner to host new banking hub
29 April 2025
Cash Access UK, the organisation set up to protect access to cash across the nation, has partnered with Co-op to open its first Banking Hub within a supermarket setting.
The new Banking Hub – located in Co-op’s Treorchy convenience store in South Wales - will provide local residents and businesses with convenient access to essential banking services, alongside their everyday shopping needs.
While more banking customers are choosing to bank and pay for things digitally, there are still many customers and businesses that require regular access to cash and face to face banking services. As a result, the banking industry came together in 2022 to begin the wider rollout of banking hubs to help maintain these services on high streets. 150 Banking Hubs are open across the country.
Gareth Oakley, CEO at Cash Access UK: "We're thrilled to partner with Co-op to establish our Treorchy banking hub permanently within their local store. This collaboration ensures continued access to cash and banking services for the community, with daily support for cash transactions and scheduled visits from community bankers. We thank Co-op for allowing us to utilise unused space in their premises.”
The move forms part of Co-op’s focus on developing added services in its stores and, creating social value - promoting stronger and more resilient communities.
Mark Matthews, Director of Format and Innovation, Co-op, said: “We are pleased to partner with Cash Access UK – and delighted to host their first ever banking hub in a convenience store setting. At the very heart of our approach is convenience. Our stores are more than just a shop, they are a community hub combining great quality products, value and deals along with community participation and a range of added services. We are committed to creating social value, and promoting stronger communities - providing a permanent home for Treorchy’s banking hub inside the local Co-op will ensure convenient access to cash and financial services to benefit the local community.”
A banking hub is a shared banking space on the high street. Hubs offer a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks and building societies can carry out regular cash transactions, Monday to Friday. The hubs also offer a community banker service where customers can talk to their own bank about more complicated banking issues. The community bankers work on rotation, with a different bank available on each day of the week. Community bankers are usually provided by the banks with the most customers in the local area.
(Treorchy Banking Hub inside Co-op convenience store)
The banking hub, operating Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, will offer customers from all major banks the ability to perform regular transactions including cash withdrawals, deposits, balance checks, and bill payments.
In addition to everyday banking, the hub features a dedicated community banker service with representatives from different banks available throughout the week:
Monday: NatWest
Tuesday: HSBC
Wednesday: Santander
Thursday: Lloyds
Friday: Barclays
The Co-op location was selected after careful consideration and the site meets all accessibility requirements and offers free parking and convenient proximity to the high street, making it an ideal location for serving the community's financial needs..
Cash Access UK is a not-for-profit company owned and funded by major banks. Their work is part of a new, collective approach to protecting access to cash. They provide shared services in communities where they are needed most. For more information, visit cashaccess.co.uk
If you would like to know more about the banking hubs, please contact: cashaccessuk@cicero-group.com
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Notes to editors:
The address of Treorchy's Banking Hub is: Co-op, Station Rd, Treorchy CF42 6UA.
About Co-op
Co-op Group is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives, operating across food retail, funerals, insurance, and legal services. Owned by over 6 million active member-owners, Co-op exists to meet their needs and champion the causes they care about. With more than 2,300 food stores, 800 funeral homes and a wholesale business supplying around 6,000 additional outlets, Co-op employs 54,000 colleagues and generates annual revenues of over £11 billion. It is a recognised leader in ethical business and community-led programmes, creating long-term value for members and communities across the UK.
About Cash Access UK
Cash Access UK is a not-for-profit company owned and funded by major banks. Their work is part of a new, collective approach to protecting access to cash. They provide shared services in communities where they are needed most. For more information, visit cashaccess.co.uk
Who owns Cash Access UK?
Cash Access UK is funded by the UK's biggest banks, including AIB NI, Bank of Ireland UK, Barclays, Danske Bank, HSBC UK, Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest Group, Santander, TSB and Virgin Money. These firms have come together to provide shared services available to all their customers.
What is a banking hub?
A banking hub is a shared banking space on the high street. Hubs offer a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks and building societies can carry out regular cash transactions, Monday to Friday. The hubs also offer a Community Banker service where customers can talk to their own bank about more complicated banking issues. The Community bankers work on rotation, with a different bank available on each day of the week. Community bankers are usually provided by the banks with the most customers in the local area.
Cash use is in decline. Why are you setting up new banking hubs?
Cash is still important to millions of people in the UK. Between 5 and 6 million adults say they rely on cash in their day-to-day lives. Digital or online solutions don’t yet work for everyone all the time. We've found that banking hubs can make a real difference to individuals, small businesses and the communities they live in.
Can small businesses use the banking hubs to do their banking?
Business customers are welcome to use the counter services to make cash withdrawals, cash and cheque deposits and other cash services including floats and coinage.
How long does it take to open a banking hub?
Opening a banking hub can take several months from start to finish. These are the steps involved:
• Find a suitable property that meets our requirements. These include size, condition and location
• Negotiate terms with the landlord.
• Once an offer is agreed, solicitors carry out the legal work so the lease can be signed. We may need to get planning approval from the local authority before we work with our architects on the layout and design. Where the building is listed or in a conservation area, we make sure our design and the building work complement the area.
• Post Office appoints a banking hub operator and the banks identify Community Bankers so they are ready to serve customers on the day we open.
• Carry out final checks to make sure everything is working so we can open the doors.
Who decides where to set up a banking hub?
LINK, the UK’s cash machine network, decides where new services are needed. LINK is an independent, regulated company with many years' experience in assessing communities' cash needs. LINK reviews the impact of every proposed branch closure by our member firms. A community can also ask to LINK to carry out an assessment of the community if they feel they need better access to cash.
Why isn’t every bank and building society involved in this?
Cash Access UK is funded by the UK's biggest banks. These cover the vast majority of personal and business customers. Cash Access UK is open to any bank or building society to join as long as they meet certain criteria.
For further information, contact:
Andrew Torr, Senior Press Officer - Co-op Press Office
M: 07702505551
E: andrew.torr@coop.co.uk