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• SANTANDER announced the closure of 95 branches in the United Kingdom recently, including its Edgware Road branch on August 12 and many are wondering about its impact on Church Street market.

This will be critically the last bank branch in Church Street ward in the City of the Westminster and critically the loss of two ATMs, automated teller machines for cash.

It is something a declining street market like Church Street relies on and raises questions about whether is it time to protect cash before it’s too late.

We all know that cash is disappearing from the high streets, but do we really understand why?

It is something the Treasury select committee is looking into and I am glad the Campaign for Cash is making representations for those who rely on cash, by telling us the human cost of cashlessness.

It is also a critical site for the economic regeneration of the Edgware Road and Church Street market, and has been somewhat underdeveloped for some time now, which has received little attention up till now.

Along with the shopfronts along this part of Edgware Road between the Marylebone flyover and Maida Vale, it could all do with a makeover!

Now that Santander have put up notices of their closure of Edgware Road branch, a petition has been set up at: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/save-church-street-market-cash-points-when-and-if-santander-bank-closes?source=email&

Please could you all sign and send around to your circles, if you want to save one of London’s last remaining street markets?

MURAD QURESHI
@MuradQureshiLDN
www.muradqureshi.com