More than a dozen bank branches set to close in region before end of October

Data from LINK revealed a total of eight branches will be axed in the region whilst a further five will be closed in Shropshire and Mid Wales.

It marks the latest blow for high streets across the area as more services switch to online in the latest blow to the high street.

Branches set to close include ones at the Merry Hill Shopping Centre, Smethwick High Street and several in Birmingham.

Meanwhile there will be closures across Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth, Ludlow and Market Drayton, up until October 6 this year.

David Beard, founder and CEO of comparison site, Lendingexpert.co.uk, said: "I'm not surprised that so many bank branches are set to close this year, but I hope they'll plough the money saved into better online and telephone banking experiences for their customers.

"It's unacceptable for a customer to wait longer than five minutes to speak to someone from their bank. There's no excuse to skimp on customer service agents considering the vast amount of money banks are saving from closing branches.

"Post offices are a good alternative for basic transactions for those needing to pay in cash and cheques, but this move will undoubtedly leave some rural communities and customers that don't want to use the internet high and dry. "

It comes as industry experts have warned in May the UK's cash system is at "risk of collapse" over the "avalanche" of closures which many people aren't ready for.

Separate figures at the time revealed 80 bank branches in the Black Country and Staffordshire had closed down since 2015 with the loss of the 259 free cash machines coming since 2018, LINK revealed.

The branches which are set to close are:

• The HSBC branch at the Merry Hill Shopping Centre, in Brierley Hill, will close on July 28

• The Lloyds branch on 6 Mount Pleasant Road, Shrewsbury, will close on July 28

• The Lloyds branch on 116 High Street, Smethwick, will close on August 11

• The Natwest branch on 1 St. Phillips Place, Birmingham, will close on August 23

• The Barclays branch on 65/66 High Street, Bridgnorth, will close August 26

• The Barclays branch on 3 King Street, Ludlow, will close on August 26

• The Barclays branch on 201 Stratford Road, Shirley, will close on September 7

• The Lloyds branch on 43 Temple Row, Birmingham, will close on September 15

• The Barclays branch on 20 Broad Street, Welshpool, will close on September 16

• The Lloyds branch on 1 Calthorpe Road, Edgbaston, will close on September 21

• The HSBC branch on 275 Stratford Road, Shirley, will close on September 29

• The Barclays branch on 52 Cheshire Street, Market Drayton, will close on October 6

• The RBS branch on 144 New Street, Birmingham, will close on October 6