NatWest to close Whitchurch and Leominster branches
NatWest is to shut branches in Whitchurch and Leominster next year as the number of high street banks available in small towns in Shropshire continues to dwindle.
The Whitchurch branch, in High Street, will close on June 7, and the Broad Street outlet in Leominster five days later on June 12.
NatWest said that as customers move their banking online, fewer people have been using branches. It said it had seen a 23 per cent fall in users of its Whitchurch branch since 2011, and a fall of 21 per cent in Leominster.
The bank hopes to fill the gap left by the branches' absence with new community bankers based in the areas and digital experts based in the branches until they close, to help people get used to online banking.
It also said that customers in Whitchurch could pay money in at nearby Post Offices, and use nine free ATMs within a mile of the branch. There are 11 ATms within a mile of the Leominster branch.
The bank said: "We have listened closely to feedback from local communities and have extended the time between announcing our decision and the branch closure to six months.
"This has been done in order to ensure our customers have time to consider the right banking options for them."
