Campaign launched to save Craven Arms HSBC

A campaign has been launched by councillors and residents in Craven Arms to try to save the town's closure-threatened branch of HSBC.

Members of Craven Arms Town Council have written to Shropshire Council urging them to intervene to halt plans to close the bank on February 10 next year.

Residents have also hit out at the closure due to the potential loss of the ATM cash machine and being forced to travel to Ludlow or Church Stretton to access a branch of the bank.

Shropshire Councillor David Evans has also said he will be tabling a motion at a future Shropshire Council meeting in a bid to keep the bank open.

Bank officials claim the branch is no longer financially viable.

Councillor Evans said: "It is a vital service for the town and vital for the regeneration of the town. I will make the motion next month."

Councillor Roger Conway, vice chairman of the town council, said they needed the bank to attract businesses to the town. He said: "My concern is the impact it will have on the commercial life of the town."

He added losing the ATM would also see people travelling away to find the service elsewhere.

Resident Richard Watkins said: "The most important thing is if they close the bank we somehow need to keep a facility in the town for accessing the bank details."

A spokesperson for HSBC said it was not planning on keeping an ATM in the town.