The Post Office has confirmed that it will visit Okehampton’s Lloyds bank “soon” to explain the services it can offer once the branch closes.

An exact date has yet to be announced, but the postal operator said it will use the meeting to outline the banking services available at Okehampton’s Post Office branch. These include cash and cheque deposits, withdrawals, account balance checks, bill payments, foreign currency exchange, the Post Office Travel Money Card, Western Union money transfers and documentation certification.

The update comes as Okehampton residents launch campaigns for alternative banking options, with many concerned that the closure will disproportionately affect small businesses and older residents, who are more likely to rely on cash and in-person banking than on card payments or online services.

The West Devon Borough councillor for Okehampton South, Jan Goffey noted that cashpoints only dispense notes, meaning customers who need coins for small purchases must go to Okehampton’s Post Office instead — something she fears could overwhelm the branch.

She also stressed the need for a mobile banking service or a community banking hub to replace Lloyds. Central Devon MP Mel Stride and Okehampton Town Council have already spoken with LINK, the not-for-profit organisation that connects the UK’s ATM network, which has recommended a new cash-access service for the town.

Former Devon county councillor for Okehampton, Lois Samuel, has launched a petition urging the county council to introduce a mobile banking service.

However, a petition only counts as one letter of request, and Cllr Goffey said, many more individual letters would be needed to persuade decision-makers to act.

The postal operator said it was proud of its cash and banking services and has taken measures to ensure residents can still access banking services locally. Okehampton businesses can arrange to obtain change through the Change Giving Service and Change Giving Lite, and members of the public can withdraw cash and choose whether it is issued in change or notes.

Nationally, the Post Office signed a five-year deal in April of this year with 30 banks and building societies, guaranteeing that customers will be able to access cash at branches until December 2030. The agreement comes into effect in January 2026.

A Post Office spokesperson said: “Customers and small businesses are increasingly using their local Post Office branch as their go-to, trusted place to deposit and withdraw cash. Postmasters offer that face-to-face service and expertise which we know customers really value. For local businesses, having a nearby branch for daily cash deposits is essential, and we know Post Offices drive footfall to other nearby shops too.”

Latest figures from October 2025 show that 622,682 cash withdrawals and 461,913 cash deposits were made at Post Offices across the South West, amounting to more than one million transactions.

Last month, the Post Office data revealed that October 2025 saw 6.77 million deposits made at Post Offices across the UK – the highest number on record, beating the previous record of 6.76 million deposits made in July 2025.