TWO banks have closed in Wallingford with a third due to shut its doors in January causing concern for elderly residents who don’t use online banking.

NatWest, which was in the High Street, was the first to close in 2017 followed by Barclays, in Market Place, which closed in August last year.

Now Lloyds, in Market Place, is due to close on January 23 next year after the bank revealed just 223 people regularly used the service in the last 12 months.

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The figures also showed in-person transactions for personal banking had fallen 53 per cent since 2017 while cashpoint transactions had fallen 64 per cent during the same period.

Lloyds Bank also highlighted a majority of customers using the branch in-person were aged 55 to 74 (34 per cent) with people aged 18 and below accounting for two per cent.

Residents now feel that with only one bank remaining, Nationwide in St Mary’s Street, that the town has been “abandoned” by the services.

People have also been advised they can use the post office, in St Martin’s Street, for banking but it has not been operating on a frequent basis due to a changeover in management.

One man, who lives near the town, said: “I know we are being pushed into a cashless society but surely people need a choice.

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“It was the banks that developed online banking not the public so I find it rich that they say not enough people are using the actual branches.

“How do people who do not want to do online banking pay in their money or speak to someone face to face if they have a problem?

“It isn't realistic for people to travel and eventually who knows where they would be heading as more and more close nor is it practical for the small post office to solely take on this role.”

One resident said she has been banking with Lloyds for years and doesn’t know how to use online services.

She said: “Been with Lloyds for more years than I can remember but I am of the grey brigade and do not do internet banking - I do not understand it.

“You cannot teach an old girl new tricks and this town has a lot of elderly people that are going to struggle with this.”

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However, one resident said the bank couldn’t “justify" staying open with the amount of users compared to the population of the town.

Another resident agreed and said: “I do think towns like ours need banking hubs. One place to access any bank and speak to someone and do your transactions.

“The footfall isn’t enough for six banks to have a branch but collectively it would work.”

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Read more from this author

This story was written by Gee Harland, she joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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