STOURPORT is to lose its Barclays branch after the banking giant announced it is to close in the summer.

Customers have received letters saying the branch on the High Street is to shut on June 8 due to people using alternative ways to do their banking.

But the decision has been met with dismay from residents who believe it could drive people out of the town and have an adverse knock-on effect for other businesses.

A spokesman for Barclays said no jobs would be lost as existing staff would be redeployed in Kidderminster.

They added there were still other nearby branches and Post Office services for people to use as well as the option of internet banking.

But Pauline Annis, of the Stourport Civic Society and Stourport Forward organisations, said: “There was a time when banks were very much the centre of the community.

“This leaves us with HSBC and TSB but if they decide to follow suit then it could have a damaging effect on Stourport. After all, Bewdley has no banks at all now.

“After our meetings, we often have cash we need to bank but it is going to be very inconvenient having to travel to Kidderminster to do so.

“I won’t use online banking because I’m not convinced about the security of it and there are a lot of other people, particularly elderly who feel the same.

“It will also have a big impact on businesses. If people travel out of town to do their banking, they will also do their shopping there.

“Many Stourport businesses are struggling, particularly during off-season. If the banks start disappearing then the whole community is under threat.”

Adrian Davies, Community Banking Director for Barclays in Hereford, Gloucester & Worcestershire said: “The decision to close a branch is never an easy one; however, we are finding that customers are increasingly using other ways to do their everyday banking.

“In addition, 52 per cent of Stourport-on-Severn customers are already using other local branches.

“We hope that the availability of our nearest Barclays branches in Kidderminster and Droitwich as well as access to services at the local Post Office within the Co-op Superstore located at Tan Lane -approximately 250 metres from the branch - along with our range of digital channels will help to ease the transition for our customers.”