Dwyfor Meirionnydd Constituency Labour Party held a demonstration outside Barclays bank in Porthmadog.

Members gathered there on 9 December to oppose the closure of the bank in February.

“Dwyfor Meirionnydd CLP is completely opposed to the closure of the Porthmadog branch,” a party spokesperson said.

“Many local residents still use the branch exclusively for their banking needs. Many of them are elderly or on a low-income, and struggle to use other means of banking, such as the internet, which costs money to use. This closure could mean they have to travel all the way to the Barclays branch in Pwllheli.

“It has been demonstrated that bank branch closures bring a negative impact in rural areas with disproportionately high elderly and low-income households. It could also bring a negative impact on the local economy, especially for sectors that rely on cash, such as charity shops.

“Dwyfor Meirionnydd CLP calls for Barclays to please pause and reconsider the closure of the Porthmadog branch.”

CLP secretary, Christine Hardacre, delivered a leaflet to the manager of the branch, arguing against its closure.