RURAL areas need the UK and Welsh governments to protect banking facilities to stop branch closures in towns like Machynlleth, town councillors have insisted.

A public meeting saw angry Machynlleth residents vow to keep fighting against NatWest’s decision to close the Machynlleth branch in October.

But the meeting also agreed that efforts should be made to try to boost banking facilities in general in the town, as well as trying to establish a community bank in the Dyfi Valley area.

The call from Machynlleth residents for more to be done to protect banking facilities in rural areas was backed by town councillors at their latest meeting, with councillors agreeing to ask One Voice Wales to back a motion calling for a dedicated policy to be produced to protect rural bank branches.

There was also a warning that during tourist events, the town “runs out of money” with Cllr Diana Lewis saying visitors to Tywyn had been unable to use cashpoints to get money during the Easter weekend.

While representatives from NatWest refused to attend the public meeting, they did meet with Montgomeryshire AM Russell George and town council clerk Rab Jones, but said the bank would not backtrack on the closure decision.

Cllr Michael Williams said he was unhappy at the lack of a representative from NatWest at the public meeting.

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