| Plans to move another bank into Newbury’s main shopping area received a setback at the town hall recently. The Town Council has dug its heels in over the plans by HSBC to move a few doors down from Mansion House Street to one of two new shops created by the Camp Hopson revamp.
HSBC was signed up after Ottaker’s bookshop pulled out last year, but the bank has used the new Park Way development to claim that Newbury’s high street is in for a big shake-up.
Three cash machines and full disabled access are promised, but town councillors said conversion to a bank would mean a loss of a valuable shop site.
Restaurant chains, such as Ken Hom’s Yellow River Café are understood to be interested in the existing branch site, which HSBC says is no longer suitable for offering modern banking services. | 
