'Bring back our ATM': Council wants to buy ex-bank in Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock Town Council has offered to buy a former bank in an effort to keep cash facilities within the town.
It says it was not told the last ATM in the town centre would also be removed when the Barclays branch closed this week.
Town Mayor, Councillor Graham Edgcumbe Venning, said: “We have ongoing negotiations with Barclays to keep the ATM so I am surprised to learn it has been removed along with the closure of the bank.
“The council have decided the most appropriate way of retaining the ATM in the high street is to buy the premises and therefore ensuring an ATM remains there.
“We have so far had no acknowledgement of our formal offer to buy the building but we hope this can still happen.”
The council said it was told by the bank the night before the closure that plans to keep an ATM on High Street were being considered.
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“We’ve had emails from the communications director at Barclays that it’s their intention to provide ATM services in High Street to the people of Much Wenlock," he added.
“As it stands we are currently in negotiations and there are ongoing processes that need to be addressed - we won’t give up on this important issue.
“Hopefully there will be an ATM there in the future, but there will no doubt be a space of time without one. It could be days, weeks or months.”
People have expressed their anger since Barclays announced it would be closing four branches – in Wem, Newport, Church Stretton and Much Wenlock.
The bank says usage of the Much Wenlock branch has declined by 20 per cent in the last two years.
Adrian Davies, Barclays community banking director for the area, said: “At Barclays Much Wenlock branch, customer usage has continued to decline, which is why we have taken the difficult decision to close it.”
