MACHYNLLETH residents are being urged to back a petition calling on NatWest to abandon its plan to close the bank’s Machynlleth branch.

NatWest announced it was looking to close the branch in October because transactions at the bank had dropped by 13 per cent and more customers were turning to digital banking.

But Heulwen Haf has launched an online petition to let Machynlleth residents show their opposition to the company’s plan, saying that it’s important that people show that they want the branch to remain open.

She said: “NatWest have announced that they plan to close the Machynlleth branch in October 2017. If we do nothing then it’ll happen. Voice your opinion and make NatWest take notice.”

Montgomeryshire AM Russell George has hit out at the closure announcement and said that he would be meeting with the company’s regional manager to call on the bank to reverse its decision because it would hit those people who don’t use digital banking and cannot drive.

Machynlleth town councillors have also criticised the announcement and insisted the council would try to fight to secure the bank’s future.

The town council agreed at its meeting in March to call for a public meeting in the town with representatives of NatWest to allow residents in the town to make their feelings known about the potential loss of the bank.

The petition, which had attracted over 80 signatures just hours after it was launched, can be found at www.change.org/p/save-natwest-in-machynlleth?recruiter=5101177&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink