Leintwardine villagers to lose their only bank

Villagers in a village on the south Shropshire border were up in arms today after learning that their only bank is to close.

Residents in Leintwardine, near Ludlow, organised a meeting on Monday to discuss the closure after HSBC bank officials wrote to customers informing them that the tiny branch was shutting down in the autumn.

Chairman of the meeting, the Reverend Mike Catling said people were angry because they felt they were not consulted on the closure.

He said: "I think what has angered folk is the lack of consultation and communication."

Organisations and individuals are now being encouraged to write to HSBC over the branch, which is open on Tuesdays from 10am to 2.30pm.

He added: "We are going to leaflet people as they come to our Aqua Vitae event in Brockley Meadow on Saturday. We also hope that we can negotiate to keep the ATM even if it is elsewhere in the village.

Villager Culain Morris said he was sending a letter of protest to bosses at HSBC.

He said: "For a bank that calls itself global and local to close its local branch is very bad. I use it regularly for a community organisation."

Mark Hemingway, for HSBC, said it had been a tough decision to close the branch. He said: "The branch is due to close in mid-September."

He added that there were still branches in Ludlow and Knighton and there had been no decision yet on whether the ATM will remain at the site.