Petition launched against closure of NatWest bank branch in Barnard Castle

BARNARD CASTLE'S county councillors have joined forces to petition against a bank closure.

NatWest is to shut its branch in the town on May 1 next year, after claiming very few people use it choosing instead to bank online.

However, the bank's clients say the branch is so well used that there are frequently queues to the door.

Now county councillors Richard Bell, Ted Henderson, James Rowlandson and George Richardson have launched a petition calling for the branch to remain open.

In a statement the bank said: “Since 2012 we have seen the way in which people use NatWest Barnard Castle branch change dramatically, with now 86 per cent of customers already banking in other ways locally. Transactions in NatWest Barnard Castle branch have reduced by 33 per cent since 2012 with now only 69 customers visiting the branch on a weekly basis.”

Client and frequent bank user Pamela Hoyle disputed the figures. She said even with two tellers on the queues stretch to the entrance, particularly on a Wednesday after the branch had been closed on a Tuesday.

She added: “It’s a bit sad when your bank can’t count.”

Cllr Henderson warned that the impact would be felt among older people, farmers and businesspeople.

He said: “We have received many calls from people over the weekend. I had one man call me – he is 90. He goes into the bank once a week. There has been no consideration for the elderly or farmers. They have been told to use the Post office, but we haven't got a Post Office between Barnard Castle and Alston.

“The thing that gets me is 75 per cent of the bank is owned by us, the public.”

He warned that the closest branches after the closure would be in Bishop Auckland and Darlington and there are difficulties finding parking in both towns.

Cllr Henderson further worried that the town would have another vacant building and pointed out that the former HSBC bank building remains empty since it closed in January. A surveyor visited the NatWest branch on Wednesday last week to take measurements. This was the same day as the county councillors launched their petition.

Cllr Bell warned people not to close their accounts with NatWest. He said: “People shouldn’t bail out of the bank too quickly because it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy – then it really will go down to 69 customers a week.”

Cllr Bell said County Hall was also concerned about branch closures and a survey of banking facilities in the county had been ordered. He added that there was a particular worry about how this would impact on those receiving Universal Credit.

Barnard Castle mayor Sandra Moorhouse has proposed that the town council work in partnership with the county councillors to campaign against the closure.

The town council held a special meeting on Monday evening to debate the issue. The outcome was not known at the time of going to press.

People can sign the county councillors’ petition at the Teesdale Mercury shop.