TOWNSFOLK are becoming increasingly fed up with the irregular opening of the Lloyds Bank branch in Wellington.

The WWN reported last week concerns that the branch in Fore Street – the town’s last remaining bank – could close for good.

Cllr John Thorne raised the issue at Monday’s meeting of Wellington Town Council and said he had been contacted by many disgruntled Lloyds customers.

“It has been causing a great deal of concern in the town for businesses and individuals,” he said. “The bank has irregular opening and we don’t know from day to day whether we can go there.

“I have had a lot of people talking to me about the bank – it’s the last bank in the town.”

Cllr Thorne suggested that perhaps the ongoing Covid-19 situation was ‘being used as an excuse’ for staff numbers running low.

“Perhaps they are testing the water for reducing the opening hours or closing altogether,” he said.

Cllr Thorne said it ‘beggar’s belief’ that Lloyds could not find staff from other branches to come and work in Wellington when needed.

But he said he realised that Lloyds was a private company and could run its business however it wished.

“But I do think that we should open a dialogue with Lloyds to see what the situation is and if they can give us reassurances they are going to remain in the town,” said Cllr Thorne.

Cllr Ross Henley said: “I’m equally concerned about this. You notice that the door is shut and we don’t know if it’s going to be closed from one day to the next. People still need access to cash, but branch closures are going on everywhere.”

The Mayor, Cllr Mark Lithgow, said he is concerned that the ‘writing is on the wall’ with the future of physical banks with more and more people doing online banking.

“They will do as they please and people will find a way around it, but I share people’s concerns,” he said.

But Cllr Nancy Powell-Brace said: “As a small independent business I have nowhere to pay my cash in from day to day. It is exasperating.

“At this rate we are going to end up with no post office and no bank.”

Former Mayor Cllr Janet Lloyd added: “I see TSB are closing branches all over the country. I don’t know what we can do to stop the rot.”

It was agreed that the town council would write to Lloyds to ask for clarification on the current situation.