A PORTHMADOG councillor has admitted there is “absolutely no chance” of getting one of the town’s banks to make a U-turn on closing.

Local politicians have been urging NatWest to reconsider its decision to close its Porthmadog branch but, following a meeting between town councillors and bank chiefs, Cllr Jason Humphreys has bemoaned the lack of flexibility.

Cllr Humphreys said: “As you’d expect from a financial institution, there was absolutely no chance of a change of heart over the appalling decision to close the Porthmadog branch of NatWest.

“We had a frank discussion over the reasons for the decision and about alternative service provisions for the future.

“NatWest will be providing a mobile service in Porthmadog once a week, along with monthly community events.

“Customers will be able to use the post office, but deposits will be limited to batches of a maximum value of £2,000 and there will be delays in processing cheques.

“The NatWest bank has been firmly embedded into Porthmadog’s commercial life for as long as it has existed and, naturally, this is clearly a huge blow for the town.

“I’m aware that there are items within the bank that reflect this history and I’m pleased to have received assurances that they can be identified and retained for the benefit of the community.”

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