West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has expressed her fury at the news that TSB is planning to close its branch in Tenbury Wells in one year’s time leaving no banks in the town.

The news follows a series of bank branch closures across West Worcestershire as major banks withdraw from the high street to concentrate on internet banking.

TSB wrote to Dame Harriett to confirm the news and confirmed that it has flagged the closure to both the Financial Conduct Authority and LINK, which is the body enabling banking hubs all over the country to ensure people retain access to banking services.

TSB has pledged to offer a once-a-week banking pop-up for the town and is looking for venues to run this service after the branch closes next May.

A banking hub is planned for Pershore and the MP will be writing to LINK to demand it to consider a permanent hub for Tenbury Wells too.

Dame Harriett said:

“This is enormously sad news for Tenbury Wells and I am particularly concerned about the impact this will have on elderly and vulnerable customers who prefer to do their banking face to face.

“With a successful post office counter service operating across the road, I am sure that some people are already using that in preference to the bank.

“By losing the final bank in the town it is important that people are still able to access cash and business banking services and I hope that the Pershore banking hub model can be repeated in Tenbury.”