When local councillor Keith Holloway launched a campaign to save Gatley’s last bank, he never expected such a big response from local residents.

“Barclays have written to customers announcing that the Gatley branch is closing on 21^st August. That’s the last bank in Gatley and the only cash machine at that end of the village.” Keith said. “We launched a campaign asking Barclays to think again. In just a few weeks we’ve had over a thousand signatures. But it’s what people have told me about why they – or their relatives – need a local bank that has really struck home.”

Local resident Mrs Slatter said “My mother who is 82 (and has Alzheimer’s disease) has been using the bank all the time she has lived in Gatley – over 45 years. The staff are lovely with her and there is no way she would be able to use online banking. She is too vulnerable to use a hole in the wall machine and getting the bus into Cheadle would be very challenging for her at this time.

Mr Boschi writes “When NatWest closed as an 85 year old I felt it was inconvenient to have to travel to Cheadle so I opened an account with Barclays to have a bank situated in Gatley where I live. Now we are to lose our only remaining bank in the village and faced with travelling to Cheadle once again.”

Joan told us “I visit this branch about once a week and ALWAYS find that there is a queue which makes it difficult for me to understand why one of the reasons given for its closure is that it is not used enough.  As an elderly person I would find it difficult to get into Cheadle and really hope that something can be done to keep this Branch open.”

Cllr Keith Holloway has written to Barclays asking to meet and discuss ways to keep a branch service in Gatley. A petition to save the bank now hs over a thousand signatures – collected in just a few weeks – and this will be presented to Barclays in the next few days.

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