Royton postmaster’s campaign for new bank services

A cherished local postie is fighting for change in Royton, which has been left with no high street banks for almost a decade.

Paul Coughlan, who has worked in Greater Manchester Post Offices for forty years, says the lack of financial services is ‘devastating’ for local residents. 

Now the Oldham-born man is campaigning to bring a ‘bank hub’ to the local area. The bank hub, which would be managed by the Royton post office team, would open as a ‘different bank’ on different days of the week. 

Paul said: “Royton is a great village, with great people. But what we really need is a banking hub. It’s imperative. There’s more and more banks closing down in Oldham, and their opening times are getting more and more ridiculous. 

“It’s just too difficult for some people, especially the elderly, to get on a bus and leave their local community. It would be so wonderful to be able to use services locally.” 

The postmaster, who took over the Royton office eight years ago and transformed it from a ‘dilapidated shop to a smashing branch’, has gathered more than 140 signatures from locals – just short of the 200 required to petition a bank hub. 

Royton has been without a highstreet bank for seven years. Previously, the town had several banks, which have all closed down in the last decade. The town’s last bank, Lloyd’s, closed down in 2018. 

The change left particularly elderly residents and those with limited mobility ‘out to dry’. The nearest branches are in Oldham town centre, but in recent years these have also started to disappear or restrict their hours. 

Marge, an 83-year-old from Royton, previously told the M.E.N. it was ‘important’ for her to physically be able to get to the bank.  “I don’t do internet,” she said, describing how she’d previously fallen prey to online scams when trying to use financial services online. 

“They’ve only taken small amounts luckily, and I got them back from the bank each time. But I feel guilty that it keeps happening to me. I feel like it’s my fault.

“I want to be able to go into a bank and talk to real people, so things don’t go wrong.” 

Royton postie Paul has teamed up with local councillor Lewis Quigg to help garner support for the banks hub scheme. 

Coun Quigg urged residents to fill out the survey online in a social media post, stating: “Bring banking services back to Royton! Paul Coughlan the Postmaster, his team at Royton Post Office and myself are collecting as many surveys as possible to get a review of banking services in Royton with the aim of bringing a banking hub to Royton.”