Ludlow and Bridgnorth residents voice frustration at Lloyds bank closures
Residents in two Shropshire towns have taken to social media to voice their frustration that their towns are to lose its branches of a high street bank.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Lloyds Bank announced this week that its branches in Ludlow and Bridgnorth are both to close.
Lloyds Banking Group has said the cuts are driven by customers shifting towards online banking services.
As a result, the company will shut 61 Lloyds, 61 Halifax and 14 Bank of Scotland sites by next March.
The Ludlow branch of Lloyds Bank at 16 Broad Street is due to close on May 25 this year.
Meanwhile the Bridgnorth branch will close five days earlier on May 20.
But residents have not taken the news well.
In Bridgnorth, more than 100 people took to Facebook to lament the loss of the branch.
David Johns said: “Is there anything we can do to prevent the closure of Lloyds Bank in May?
“If it happens it will leave us with just HSBC and Nationwide and I would think the future of HSBC is questionable.
“I would have thought that Bridgnorth justifies more than two banks. There are a lot of elderly customers in the town who will suffer if this closure happens.”
Another poster replied: “Many older customers go in to the bank because they are not internet savvy. My Auntie who's 85 relies on being able to go in and let someone else do her transactions for her so would be lost without a cashier at the bank.”
Another added: "Its terrible news. Pushing people on to a cashless society. On line banking is also not for us. Lovely staff at Lloyds. I hope their will be a change of heart.”
Meanwhile in Ludlow, residents pointed out that when Lloyds goes, there will just be one bank left in the town centre – Natwest.
One annoyed resident said: “I was about to change my business account from Barclays to Lloyds in Ludlow as I have to travel to Hereford or Shrewsbury to now find a Barclays and they are only open 9am-3pm so that's knobbled that plan!”
Another added: “It’s awful all the banks closing. TSB in Tenbury too”
While one lamented: “I feel sorry for all the staff. Hope they make facilities available elsewhere.”
A spokeswoman for Lloyds said: “Over 20 million customers are using our apps for on-demand access to their money and customers have more choice and flexibility than ever for their day-to-day banking.
“Alongside our apps, customers can also use telephone banking, visit a community banker or use any Halifax, Lloyds or Bank of Scotland branch, giving access to many more branches.
“Customers can also do their everyday banking at over 11,000 branches of the Post Office or in a Banking Hub.”