Progress has been made in the effort to bring a banking hub to Wellington following the announcement that Lloyds bank on Fore Street will close in September.

The replacement banking service will see Post Office staff facilitate a range of banking transactions to customers of any bank. The service is hoped to be up and running by the time of Lloyd's scheduled closure date.

The hub has now had a project manager appointed to oversee it, Wellington Town Councillors have been told, marking progress with the scheme that could take as long as a year to deliver.

Cash Access UK, who are responsible for the banking hub are set to meet with councillors to discuss how best to deliver the replacement service.

Lloyds have confirmed if the banking hub is not operational by the time they shut up shop, they will keep their doors open for a further six months.

In a statement Lloyds said: "If the Banking Hub is not up and running by the listed closure date of September 13 2023, we’ll keep the branch open for up to 12 months starting from March 29 to allow for a smooth transition of banking services in the community."

"Visits to our Wellington, Somerset branch have fallen over recent years, as many customers now choose to bank digitally.

"When the branch closes, customers can use the local Post Office for everyday banking which is less than a mile away, access cash at the nearby free-to-use ATMs, alongside other ways to bank such as over the phone and online, or the new Banking Hub once it is up and running.“