This is how Harrogate council could help bring a replacement bank facility to Knaresborough

Harrogate Borough Council officers are this month meeting with representatives from banking firms to look into the possibility of bringing a mobile branch or shared banking facility to the spa town.

It is because Halifax announced its Market Square branch will close on May 13.

But Coun Graham Swift, deputy leader and cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development at the council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service there is no promise a solution will be found.

He said: "There are two possible channels of investigation which we are exploring - but there is no guarantee we are going to be able to deliver something.

"We are speaking with an organisation called Newcastle Building Society about the possibility of opening a community banking facility. The advantage of this is it is low cost and would be in a place where residents are already coming together."

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Shared banking facilities are where scaled-back services are set up in public buildings, including libraries, tourist information centres and post offices.

The other option which the council are looking at is a mobile branch, whereby cash services would arrive to the area on wheels.

Coun Swift said: "We have had success with this in Ripon where we provided a mobile bank in or around the market square. We have approached Lloyds Bank and Nat West about bringing a mobile bank in Knaresborough."

Halifax announced the closure in January. A spokesperson said it was a "difficult decision" but added usage was down 10 per cent on last year.

Following this, a petition to save the branch was launched by the Knaresborough Chamber of Trade. It received the backing of more than 1,200 residents who had raised concerns for how elderly people would manage.

Coun Ed Darling (Cons, Knaresborough Castle) last month flagged up the closure as an urgent issue to Harrogate Borough Council's cabinet members. He warned many market traders and independent businesses in Knaresborough rely on cash - before members agreed to look at possible solutions.

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Coun Swift said bank closures are a national problem.

He said: "The high street is changing more and more when it comes to buying and banking. With online shopping, there are less and less reasons for people to go into town.

"Closures are always an emotional topic. The reality is no matter how the cash is removed, there will always be a large amount of people, particularly the elderly, who find it hard to access it again."

The planned closure will follow other banks which have shut shop in the town - including Barclays and HSBC.

It will leave just two remaining cash machines - one by Sainsbury's at the bus station and at Tesco on the High Street.

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter