Southport Lib Dem councillors have launched a campaign to save Churchtown ‘s NatWest branch on Cambridge Road.
Councillors Pat Keith and John Dodd have drawn up a petition against the proposed closure of the bank, and it has attracted hundreds of signatures from residents and businesses since starting.
A spokesperson from the NatWest said the bank is due to close on November 17 as branch transactions have declined by around 36 per cent since 2010 and online and mobile transactions have grown by more than 30 per cent.
Only nine per cent of their total transactions are now undertaken in branches in comparison to 25 per cent five years earlier.
A statement from Natwest about the Cambridge Road bank said:
“We are working hard to ensure there are a number of alternative ways for people in the area to continue to bank with us.
“These include the Post Office. We have reached an agreement with the local Post Office, which is 0.8 miles away from the branch so that our customers can check their balance, deposit and withdraw funds, and business customers can get coinage.
“There are five Post Offices within two miles of the branch.
“ATMs: We intend to retain our ATM in the local community, and there are also five other free to use ATMs within one mile of the branch.
“Other branches: Our nearest branch, Southport, is 2.1 miles away which we will be investing up to £600K in this year.”
Cllr Dodd said he could not understand why there was so much money going into other Southport NatWest branches when it could be used to keep the Churchtown one open.
He said: “They are throwing more than half a million pounds at the town branch for refurbishment whilst neglecting to keep open a thriving local branch.
“I am a regular user of the bank and have seen no evidence of a 22 per cent drop in customers on the contrary there is usually a queue.
“I fear that closure of the branch will have an acute impact on local businesses here in Churchtown.”
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