Shropshire Barclays closures 'are leaving the elderly isolated'

Older people would not be able to adjust to using online banking, the charity said, and many of them rely on face to face service.

The comments come after it was announced that the high street bank would be closing branches in Much Wenlock, Church Stretton, Newport and Wem.

Across the communities, groups, councillors and MPs are vowing to fight the closures.

Heather Osborne, chief executive of Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, said: “The closure of these bank branches is a blow to older people living in those communities.

“Many older people are not familiar, or comfortable using online banking, they really value and need a face to face service.

• STAR COMMENT: Bank closures make mockery of customer coming first

“In addition, going to the bank encourages older people to continue to go out and about in their communities, reducing isolation and loneliness. As a society we must guard against the constant move to all things online leading to increased loneliness and isolation in our communities.”

The bank blamed a fall in the number of customers using the branches for the closures.

South Shropshire MP Philip Dunne has said the closure of the Church Stretton branch - which will leave the town with just the TSB on High Street - was ‘appalling’.

Mr Dunne said he would work with local representatives to put forward the case for keeping branches open for businesses and vulnerable customers.

The Church Stretton branch will close from September 7.

Mr Dunne said: “I am appalled by this decision by Barclays to remove two branches from South Shropshire, especially in Much Wenlock where it is the last bank branch in town.

“We all recognise that mobile banking has become more prevalent.

“But South Shropshire is home to many elderly and vulnerable people, for whom online banking is simply not a credible option. Branch services are also important to both those banking for businesses or charities, and I will be stressing this to Barclays in asking them to review their decision.”

Ramona Enfield, Barclays Community Banking Director for the area, said: “In Church Stretton, customer usage fell by 28 per cent in the last 24 months.

“The way customers undertake their banking is changing as people increasingly use online, telephone and mobile devices.

“We hope that the availability of our other Barclays branches at Shrewsbury and Ludlow and access to banking services at the local Post Office currently located at 50 Sandford Avenue, Church Stretton along with our range of digital channels will help to ease the transition for our customers.”

More than 200 people have signed a petition to halt the closure in Much Wenlock.

Daniel Thomas of Much Wenlock Town Council said: “We strongly object to closure of the Much Wenlock branch of Barclays.

“It removes the last bank from Much Wenlock and compels customers who want face-to-face meeting to travel to Madeley or Bridgnorth. Further, it removes an important component from the range of amenities in this town. The bank plays an important social and economic role in the town.

We recognise that although internet banking is cited as an alternative to in branch banking by Barclays, this is by no means an appropriate alternative.”

Mark Pritchard vowed to fight the closure in Newport, saying that the decision was “anti-rural”.

“The large retail banks have a social as well as a business responsibility in how they conduct their business locally and nationally. Newport is already losing other banks and I will fight this closure all the way.”

The town’s mayor, Peter Scott, urged residents in Newport to use the banks that remain in the town – or risk losing them.