An Isle of Wight town centre bank is set to be stripped bare, months after it was announced it would be closing for good.
Natwest in Ryde is to shut in August, but plans have already been submitted to clear the building of all its fittings.
Remove external signs etc
An application submitted to the Isle of Wight council by building owners The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) seeks permission to remove the external signs, night safe and ATM from the prominent building in St Thomas’ Square.
It is not yet known what the future holds for the building, but documents submitted to the council, on behalf of RBS, by SpaceInvader Design, say it will no longer be used as a bank.
To be made ready for reoccupation
Taking out all the banking-related fittings, it said, would make it ready for reoccupation by someone else in a timely manner.
It said vacant buildings can negatively detract from the area so the proposal aims to ensure the building does not begin to dilapidate and can be readily occupied.
No date has been given for when the stripping out works could take place if approved.
Bank closure
It was announced in March the bank would be closing — making it the third in Ryde in a year.
The bank blamed a significantly declining footfall and a rise in mobile banking users for the reason it was shutting.
Other bank closures
HSBC is also set to close in August and last summer the town’s Barclays branch shut its doors.
The Santander branch at the top of the High Street closed in 2019.
It would leave the town with two banks, Lloyds and Nationwide.
View the plans
You can view the plans, 23/00704/FUL, on the council’s planning register.
The public consultation runs until 5th June.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
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