Rishton residents have been asking about what was done to try and save the HSBC branch on High Street and why it ultimately closed. Cllr Harry Grayson led a campaign to try and prevent the closure, supported by Ken Moss, County Cllr Miles Parkinson and leader of the Hyndburn Labour Party, Graham Jones.
Letters were sent out by the bank in November to inform customers that it would be closed on 12th February 2010 and this prompted Cllr Grayson to write a letter of complaint and start a campaign. Protest leaflets were delivered to every home in Rishton and over 300 were returned, with several coming from businesses and charities within the village.
Local resident Susan Stace also spent several very cold days outside the bank collecting signatures for a lengthy petition. Ken Moss wrote another letter to the bank in early January showing that the residents had petitioned against the move but the reply indicated that the decision by HSBC was final.
An appeal was sent to the Financial Ombudsman Service to try and keep the bank open on the grounds that it was the last remaining finance service in Rishton and not in the best interests of the residents but this was rejected in early February.
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