BARCLAYS Bank is to close its last remaining Ceredigion branches this year.
Ceredigion MS Elin Jones said this evening that she has today (Thursday) received confirmation that both branches will be closed later this year, with bank bosses informing staff earlier on Thursday.
In recent years, Barclays has closed branches in Aberaeron, Lampeter, Dolgellau and Machynlleth.
The Cambrian News understands the Aberystwyth branch will close in May.
Reacting to the news, Ceredigion MS, Elin Jones, said: “It’s a major blow that Barclays is pulling out of Aberystwyth and Cardigan.
"Soon there’ll be no banks left in Ceredigion, or even Wales.
"Banks are treating their customers badly by withdrawing completely from the high streets and abandoning town centre landmark buildings that they have occupied for decades.
"Jobs are lost too from our rural towns to faceless call centres and bots.
"The UK government has done nothing to prevent this change and people and businesses will find it harder to access services from now on, especially the elderly.”
Ceredigion MP, Ben Lake, added: "This decision is incredibly disappointing as it leaves Ceredigion without a single Barclays branch.
"Many of the county's towns are already without any bank branches, and so it is alarming that branches are being closed in Ceredigion's largest two towns.
"Barclays notified us of their decision today (25 January), and I have requested that Barclays executives meet with us at the earliest opportunity to explain this decision.
“This latest decision reinforces my belief that banking hubs should be established in rural areas such as Ceredigion so that access to physical banking advice and services is retained.
"It is a concept that I have been championing since I introducing Ten Minute Rule Bill in Parliament back in 2018 calling on the UK Government to make provision for community banking hubs.
"Such hubs, whereby different banks agree to co-locate services in a single building is one that commands widespread support, and although I welcome the efforts so far to establish banking hubs across the UK, the pace at which the roll out is taking place needs to accelerate so that areas in Ceredigion can benefit."
The Cambrian News has approached Barclays Bank for comment.