Julian Smith MP visited Pateley Bridge last week, to speak to constituents about a variety of local concerns.
Julian Smith met with Chairman of the Nidderdale Chamber of Trade, Keith Tordoff MBE, to discuss concerns about the closure, announced on Friday, of Barclays’ Pateley Bridge and Grassington branches. The closure of Pateley Bridge’s last bank is expected to cause inconvenience for businesses and customers across the area. Julian Smith committed to making representations to Barclays about the level of local concern about this closure.
Julian Smith MP also met with supporters of the DalesBus service. The summer and bank holiday bus service, used by around 3,000 people last year, was hailed for helping to draw more visitors to the Dales and for improving access for locals. The group are now aiming to secure an extra £2,000 in funding for the service to run again this year. Support has already been secured from the National Trust, and from the County Council’s Locality Budget, with a further £2,000 donated by the Yorke Arms in Ramsgill. The buses are planned to provide links into Nidderdale from York, Ripon, Keighley and Otley, with buses also running from Pateley Bridge to Upper Nidderdale, Coldstones Cut, Grassington and the Washburn Valley. Another bus will link Harrogate with Brimham Rocks, Fountains Abbey, Kirkby Malzeard and Masham.
Julian Smith MP said: ‘I was delighted to hear from constituents about a number of important local schemes. I am concerned about the number of recent bank branch closures across the constituency and will be writing to Barclays about the devastating impact of the loss of such a vital service. Access to banking services is particularly important in rural areas and I want to make sure that our high streets and local businesses thrive. I hope the decision can be reversed.’
