Bank 'has ignored us', says MP over Newport NatWest closure
Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard has spoken of his disappointment that a decision to close Newport's Nat West bank branch has not been reversed.
NatWest is expected to shut in Newport in May this year after the company claimed that only 53 people were using the branch in High Street each week.
A campaign to save the bank was launched, with Mr Pritchard and members of community groups throughout the town throwing their support towards keeping it open.
NatWest's owner, the Royal Bank of Scotland, said that up to 60 per cent of customers were now doing their banking online.
In a letter to the MP, the chief executive of RBS said that the decision was final.
Mr Pritchard said: "I am disappointed the chief executive has chosen to ignore local businesses and customers and continue with the closure.
"Like many in Newport, I think this decision is flawed and should be reversed."
Mike Atherton, manager of the Town Team, warned that a closure could not only affect customers but also increase costs for independent traders.
David Griffin, chairman of Newport and District Civic Society, said that older people would be the first hit by any bank closures in the town.
NatWest said that vulnerable customers would be actively contacted before the closure.
A spokesman for the bank said: "We have extended the time between announcing our decision and the branch closure to six months. This has been done so that we can ensure our customers have enough time to consider the right banking options for them and to give us time to support them one-to-one during the transition."
