Former Amusement Arcade to Host Banking Hub Following Approval

The conversion of a former amusement arcade into a banking hub has received official approval. North Yorkshire Council stated that the proposal for the Holdsworth Amusement Centre, located on Belle Vue Street in Filey, follows the closure of multiple bank branches along the Yorkshire coast. Banking hubs are designed to offer consumers and small businesses access to cash and basic banking services in areas where high street banks have closed. The application was supported by Filey Town Council, and several residents also submitted letters to the council in favour of the plan. One resident wrote that banking access was “severely lacking in the town” and that the hub would be “a vital lifeline to the large number of older residents in the town as well as being a boon during the summer tourist season”. Another commented: “I believe this will be a huge asset to the town of Filey, especially for the elderly who cannot make the journey to Scarborough for their needs.” The first, second, and third floors of the early 19th Century mid-terraced building are currently utilized as residential flats for accommodation. Cash Access UK, the not-for-profit company that submitted the plans, was established by a consortium of UK banks and building societies to facilitate the provision of various services, including shared banking spaces on local high streets. Planning officers remarked that the scheme’s design was “considered to be of a good standard, utilising high-quality materials”. They noted that because the plan would “reinstate a business within a vacant unit,” it was “viewed positively and will improve the sense of activity in the area and will enhance its overall character.”