Barclays to close Ludlow and Bridgnorth branches

Barclays has announced it will close its branches in Ludlow and Bridgnorth this August.

The bank has written to customers confirming both branches will close on August 26th at 12pm.

The closure will leave Ludlow with just Lloyds, Nationwide and NatWest. HSBC closed their branch in Ludlow in 2017.

Ludlow North Councillor Andy Boddington said: "Banks that close their branches say people should do their transactions online. Many people, particularly older people, are not comfortable with digital technology. There are also many businesses in Ludlow that deal with cash. Barclays says cash can be paid in at the Post Office. But the Post Office service in Ludlow is very poor. The Post Office counters in our two One Stop shops, part of the Tesco Group, often closed due to lack of staff."

"The closure of Barclays is yet another nail in the coffin of our high streets.", he added.

A Barclays spokesperson said: “The decision to close a branch is never an easy one. However, customers are increasingly using alternatives to branches to do their banking. As a result, we are seeing a sustained fall in branch visits across the UK.

“This is reflected at Ludlow and Bridgnorth branches where 80 and 83 per cent of our customers at the branches are already using different ways to bank.

"In total, 251 regular Ludlow customers and 113 regular Bridgnorth customers use these branches exclusively for their banking and do not interact with us in other ways. We will work with our customers and provide alternative options to ensure they can continue to manage their money and receive financial expertise when required.”