RESIDENTS and traders in Newcastle Emlyn are facing up to a future without any banks at all after last Friday’s news that the Barclays branch is to close.

The Cawdor Terrace branch is to shut on Friday, 16 November, leaving Lloyds as the only bank in town – and they are to close on 29 January.

Barclays customers are now being advised to use neighbouring branches at Cardigan, Carmarthen and Aberaeron, or alternatively the Post Office.

Only last month local county councillor Hazel Evans described the impending closure of Lloyds as "a kick in the teeth" for customers who had transferred their accounts to the bank after NatWest and HSBC pulled out of the town.

Reacting to news of the planned Barclays closure, she said: “This is absolutely dreadful news.

“I would have thought that, with all the technology at their disposal, banks could look seriously at the possibility of having shared premises.”

Stephanie Smith, Barclays’ community banking director for the area, said: “The way customers undertake their banking is changing as people increasingly use online, telephone and mobile devices.

“At Barclays Newcastle Emlyn branch, customer usage has continued to decline (nine per cent in the last 24 months), which is why we have taken the difficult decision to close it.

“We hope that the availability of our other Barclays branches at Cardigan and Carmarthen and access to banking services at the local Post Office currently located at 6 Sycamore Street, Newcastle Emlyn, along with our range of digital channels, will help to ease the transition for our customers.”