Cost of living protest at Barclays in Hastings

Don’t Pay UK and Extinction Rebellion Hastings & St Leonards (XRHSL) staged a Warm Up action at Barclays in Hastings town centre on Saturday December 3rd from 12.30 to 2.30 pm. Protesters wrapped in blankets and clutching hot water bottles entered the bank for a peaceful protest to highlight Barclays’ investments in oil and gas companies that fuel the cost of living crisis and climate emergency.
By Charmian KennerContributor
Published 5th Dec 2022, 14:13 BST
Updated 5th Dec 2022, 14:13 BST
Protesters stage a Warm Up action inside Barclays Bank in HastingsProtesters stage a Warm Up action inside Barclays Bank in Hastings
Protesters stage a Warm Up action inside Barclays Bank in Hastings

The protest was part of the National Day of Action on Fuel Poverty called by the Warm This Winter coalition. Warm-Ups took place across the UK in towns and cities including Glasgow, Liverpool, Bristol and London in support of Fuel Poverty Action’s Energy For All campaign, and the Don’t Pay UK campaign. Groups took over spaces in public to show that people cannot afford to heat their homes.As a result of rising energy costs, around 2.2 million people have fallen into fuel poverty in the past year, raising the total figure to 6.7 million in the UK. It is predicted this will rise to 8.6 million when bills climb once again in April 2023.Lynne Salvage of Don’t Pay UK said ‘We’re holding the Warm Up at Barclays because they’re the biggest funder of oil and gas in Europe. I’m a pensioner and many of us are freezing at home as energy prices hit the roof. Fossil fuel companies are making billions in profits while ruining us and the planet.’Jaen Loftin, a teaching assistant and member of XRHSL, said ‘I was shocked to see a sandwich board outside Barclays proclaiming that they want to help customers with the cost of living. In reality they fund the very companies that are causing this crisis. We need affordable green energy now, and Barclays say they’re investing in renewables but they’re putting billions more into fossil fuels.’According to the Banking on Climate Chaos report 2022, Barclays invested nearly £20 billion in fossil fuels last year. Meanwhile Shell and BP doubled their profits between July and September this year compared to the same period in 2021, making £8.2 billion and £7.1 billion respectively. Fossil fuels are responsible for large volumes of greenhouse gas emissions that have already pushed the climate to the brink of collapse.The protesters encouraged Barclays customers to move their money to a high street bank with climate-friendly policies such as Nationwide, or Triodos Bank which invests in green energy that will cut the cost of living and benefit the environment.John Lynes, 94, said ‘I’m at the Warm Up because I want a positive green future for my great-great-grandchildren, where we have renewable energy and don’t depend on greedy oil and gas companies. Barclays must stop financing the fossil fuel climate-wreckers now.’

Related topics:BarclaysHastingsSt Leonards