A NEW partnership between a local library and Barclays is set to provide online banking services to customers in Liskeard.

The branch’s bank closed in Liskeard in March of last year, leaving residents wondering how they would access services.

In an earlier statement about why it was closing the branch, Barclays stated that most customers were using the app, online or telephone services instead. It claimed that only 15 regular customers were relying on the cashier service at the Liskeard branch as the “only way they were doing their banking”. Barclays defined a regular customer for this purpose as someone who had used the branch at least three times in the last three months.

The Barclays Local service, located inside the library on Barras Street, is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9.30am to 1pm and 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

Customers will be able to access a range of in-person support such as help with digital banking, financial reviews, balance checks, transfers and bill payments.

The site is cashless therefore everyday banking transactions need to be completed at the local Post Office.

Barclays closed its main bank in the town back in 2023 and since then has worked with the local community to find new ways to provide banking support.

A Barclays spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to open a Barclays Local here in Liskeard, working with the local library to offer a new, more flexible way for our colleagues to continue to support customers with their banking needs.”

Real Ideas, who manage the library, are delighted to be partnering with the bank: “There is an exciting echo of the past and the socially entrepreneurial history of the library that used to host a bank before the 1960’s so this type of collaboration has both a link with the past whilst looking forward to the future.”