Fears as another Shropshire bank branch to close

NatWest has announced that it will close its Ellesmere branch in a matter of months after a drop in the number of people using the service left fewer than 50 regular customers.

The branch, in Scotland Street, will close on November 23 and it is the latest in a number of bank closures across the north of the county.

Debbie Phillips, NatWest spokeswoman, said: "We have taken the difficult decision to close the NatWest Ellesmere branch on November 23.

"We are working hard to ensure there are a number of alternative ways for people in the area to continue to bank with us.

"The number of transactions taking place at Ellesmere branch has dropped by 10 per cent since 2011 and only 47 customers use the branch on a regular weekly basis.

"In total, 18 of these customers already use other branches in the area."

Ellesmere's HSBC closed its doors in 2011, with bosses also blaming changes in banking habits.

The bank said at the time that it was seeing more people using internet and telephone banking and a reduced footfall.

But people in the town said they were sad to see the facility go, along with other banks around the country.

In March, NatWest also closed its doors at the Eccleshall branch near Market Drayton, blaming a lack of customers for its decision.

Last year, the banking giant closed its branches in Llanidloes and Llanfair Caereinion and closed its branch in Montgomery at the start of this year.

HSBC also closed its Llanidloes branch in 2013 while the Co-operative Bank closed its branch in High Street, Market Drayton in April last year.

Santander also closed its branch in Market Drayton last year, one of 138 to close across the country.

Regarding NatWest in Ellesmere, Ms Phillips added: "Our customers are increasingly using alternative ways to bank with them such as online and mobile banking.

"As a result, branch transactions have declined by around 36 per cent since 2010 whilst online and mobile transactions have grown by more than 300 per cent.

"Only nine per cent of their total transactions are now undertaken in branches in comparison to 25 per cent in 2010."

The branch has made an agreement with the local post office that customers will be able to check their balance, deposit and withdraw funds and business customers can get coinage.

Staff also advised that there are four free-to-use cash machines within a mile of the branch.

Ms Phillips said: "There are two staff who work in the branch but I cant comment on individual circumstances as we are consulting with staff on their options.

"However we do always aim to redeploy staff to nearby branches where possible and to keep compulsory redundancies to a minimum."

Customers will be written to about the closure, there will be posters in the branch and staff will be on hand to answer any questions before the November closure.