Barclays parks mobile bank in Hove graveyard as 'nowhere else free'

The bank says it has been given permission to park a van in the cemetery at St Andrew’s church, in Hove, every Monday from 10am until 3pm.

But people have branded the move as inappropriate, while one person quipped that seeing the van in the graveyard was the perfect analogy for a bank shutting so many of its high street branches.

“Barclays closing their Hove branch to save costs and then place themselves in St Andrew’s Church in the graveyard,” they said.

"They were there this morning until 2pm providing banking services to customers who banked at their now closing Hove Branch.

“What a PR disaster for a £60 billion global bank.”

The Barclays van in St Andrew's church cemetery (Image: Submitted)

It was announced earlier this year that Barclays would be closing its branch in Church Road, Hove, on December 8.

The mobile banking van was parked up 50 metres from the branch.

A spokeswoman for the bank said it was rolling out its weekly van visits early so customers who usually use the Church Road site can get to grips with the new format.

The spokeswoman also said that its graveyard visits are only temporary while it searches for a long-term home.

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A Barclays spokeswoman said: “As visits to branches continue to fall, with the majority of people preferring to bank online, we need to adapt to provide the best service for all our customers.

“This is reflected at Hove, where we are delivering new ways to support our customers and the community with options for those who need in-person services.

“We plan for the Barclays van to visit one day a week, a cashless banking alternative where customers can meet a colleague face-to-face for a variety of support, as they would in a branch and without the need to travel.

“We have worked with the local community and council to source a suitable location to park the van and the church is currently the only option available and is fully supportive of our presence.”

Dan Henderson, vicar at St Andrew's, said: "Recently we have begun hosting a Barclays banking van every Monday to serve those in the community who will find it difficult to undergo their banking tasks once the Barclays branch in George Street is closed.

"We see this as a practical way to serve the community and to help Barclays maintain a face-to-face option when it comes to banking, something that is valued by many in our congregation and community.

"Our church grounds are solely maintained by volunteers and hosting these businesses helps to increase positive community use, decrease anti-social behaviour and fund our vision to 'Love God and Love Hove like Jesus'."