The NatWest bank branch on Newark Road in Lincoln will be amongst 158 branches to close nationally within six months. In addition, three other Lincolnshire sites are also impacted by the announcement including Bourne, Horncastle and Sleaford. It comes as customers of the national bank shift more to digital methods, such as mobile or online…
Natwest on Newark Road will close. Photo: Google Street View
The NatWest bank branch on Newark Road in Lincoln will be amongst 158 branches to close nationally within six months.
In addition, three other Lincolnshire sites are also impacted by the announcement including Bourne, Horncastle and Sleaford.
It comes as customers of the national bank shift more to digital methods, such as mobile or online banking.
Across the country a total of 158 branches will be closed resulting in 470 job cuts.
It is currently unknown how many Lincolnshire jobs are affected.
In 2016, NatWest announced closures that saw 1,500 jobs lost in the UK across 32 branches.
The bank warned of additional job cuts and closures in February following the announcement that it had an annual loss of £7 billion.
An RBS spokesperson said: “Many more customers are choosing to do their banking using mobile and online services over traditional branch counters.
“We interact with our customers over 20 times more through digital channels than physical ones. We have 4.2 million personal mobile users, up by over two million since 2014.
“As customers change the way they bank with us, we must change the way we serve them.
“The role of the branch is fast moving to a centre for advice, away from basic transactions.
“While the branch will still be a core part of our offering to customers, inevitably some branches will have to close.”
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Over a tonne of food and essential items, as well as more than £16,000, have been donated to local food banks through a Lincolnshire Co-op campaign.
The donations came after Lincolnshire Co-op launched its food bank advent calendar campaign throughout December.
An estimated 1,350kg of food and essentials, the equivalent of around 3,213 meals, and £16,675 of store dividend and cash was donated to over 40 larders and food banks in Lincolnshire.
Customers could also donate store dividend as well as cash and items. | Photo: Lincolnshire Co-op
Customers were encouraged to donate one item each day during their shopping, dropping them in collection bins at local stores.
A full collection bin at the Queen Elizabeth Road store in Lincoln. | Photo: Lincolnshire Co-op
Each day a new item was suggested by Lincolnshire Co-op, ranging from tinned goods to cleaning products, providing an advent calendar format for the scheme.
Items were suggested for donations with campaign labels in stores. | Photo: Lincolnshire Co-op
Sam Turner, Community Manager at Lincolnshire Co-op said: “We’re so grateful to everyone who donated to our Food Bank Advent Calendar campaign.
“Thanks to the generosity of our shoppers, members, and colleagues, we’ve been able to support the important work of local food banks in our area and help feed families at Christmas and beyond.”
Boston United will have no games for two weeks, as the National League North and South divisions come to a temporary halt.
It comes after a review of feedback from all clubs in the sixth tier of English football, which will see football at that level paused for two weeks.
The move is effective immediately, meaning Boston United’s home fixture against Brackley Town has been postponed until further notice.
A board meeting with the National League decided to put a stop to football at that level, amid growing concerns of rising coronavirus cases and winter financial packages.
Clubs were informed that while government funding was still likely from January to March, it would be in the form of loans rather than grants should football continue to go ahead.
Boston United chairman David Newton. | Photo: Boston United FC
Boston United chairman David Newton issued a statement on Thursday outlining the club’s stance in relation to the season, saying that he supported the decision to suspend the season.
“Clubs were also asked to give their views on a potential four-to-six-week suspension of the competition.
“After lengthy discussions within the club, we confirmed that we would, on balance, support this.
“We are a football club so, of course, we want to be playing games, but our decision took into account a number of factors.
“We are somewhat uncomfortable playing when the pandemic is at its peak and a large part of the population are locked down.
“Despite the strict Covid protocols we have in place, there is always a risk to players, staff and their families, and that has to be paramount in decision-making.
“We would, of course, need to know the detail relating to any suspension – and planned restart – before offering our final support to the proposal.”