Staff on move after Barclays branch shuts
A Barclays branch in Walsall is to close within months forcing customers to travel miles to its nearest bank, it has been announced.
The bank in High Street, Brownhills, will shut at the end of October with users faced with a three-mile journey to Aldridge for its nearest branch, or four miles to Chase Terrace or Bloxwich.
Barclays said the decision to close the branch on October 24 comes due to a drop in users and the increase in on-line transactions, adding that more than half of the people in the town now use other branches.
However, the move has been criticised in Brownhills as it will make banking more difficult for customers, especially the elderly.
Brownhills Local Committee chairman Doug Birch said: "The size it is Brownhills can easily support the bank.
"People I have spoken to, including our committee are not at all happy about it, they want it to remain in Brownhills.
"I think they are making a very wrong move they will lose a lot of customers.
"It is not easy for people to get to these others. It will de detrimental to the business people and the elderly people in particular."
A statement from Barclays said: "The way customers undertake their banking is changing as people increasingly use online, telephone and mobile devices. In response to this change in customer behaviour we must evolve our business to meet their needs.
"At Brownhills branch, customer usage has declined by 13 per cent since 2008 and more than 60 per cent of customers now regularly use alternative branches, which is why we have taken the difficult decision to close the branch on October 24.
"In addition to the option of online, telephone and mobile banking customers can undertake everyday transactions at the nearby Post Office, 55 High Street, Brownhills.
"We hope the range of alternatives including digital banking, nearby branches and Post Office access will help to ease the transition for our customers as we move out of Brownhills branch."
The impact on staff who work at the branch has not been revealed at this stage.
It comes as regeneration is pushing ahead with new plans for almost 200 homes on Silver Court Gardens and adjacent old Brownhills Market site.
