Lloyds bank closures: Elderly and vulnerable Arun residents will be 'abandoned'

Lloyds and Halifax will shut 40 branches after seeing a decline in footfall due to people favouring online banking. Among the Lloyds Bank branches to close are in Beach Road, Littlehampton and The Street, Rustington.

At a meeting on Monday night (January 23), Rustington Parish Council ‘expressed concern’ about the decision to close the local branch – according to chairman Alison Cooper.

Mrs Cooper said: “Customers who struggle to use online services need to use cash services. Personally, I am really disappointed. After being part of the community for so long, they are now abandoning vulnerable people who so desperately need those services.

"Arun has one of the highest over 80s populations in the country. Residents feel abandoned and it's just wrong.

“They are more susceptible to fraud at that age and our area is quite hardly hit by it.”

On the Lloyds website, it states that the Littlehampton bank is due to close permanently on May 23, whilst the Rustington branch will shut on June 5.

The loss of Lloyds bank in Rustington follows the permanent closures of HSBC and Barclays in recent years.

"It’s very disappointing,” Mrs Cooper said. “We are very upset as it will be a loss to the high street.

"Rustington is quite vibrant with businesses and they do need cash deposit services. Not everyone does online. We would encourage people to use other banks that are still here."

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The Lloyds Banking Group said 83 per cent of personal customers in Littlehampton ‘already use other ways of banking’ – such as over the phone or internet banking, as well as other branches, whilst the figure stands at 77 per cent for Rustington.

They added that both branches have nearby Post Offices, within a two-minute walk away, which offer personal and business customers everyday banking services, access to cash, paying in of cheques and more.

They also have nearby free-to-use ATMs and there are nine free-to-use ATMs within one mile of the closing branches.

A spokesperson added: “Customers can use any Lloyds Bank branch for their banking, alongside other options such as the Post Office, online, mobile and telephone banking.

“Visits to our Littlehampton and Rustington branches have fallen over recent years, as many customers now choose to bank in different ways.

“We’re contacting customers to let them know about the alternate local banking services available.”

The group revealed the sites earmarked for closure had seen the number of visits drop by about 60 per cent on average in the last five years.

On the closures in Littlehampton and Rustington, a spokesperson for Arun District Council said: “We are aware that these banks will be closing. Of course, we can’t comment on the organisational decisions of the banks, and it is important to acknowledge that this is a national decision and that doesn’t always reflect local conditions or need.

"As always, will be working with local businesses to drive footfall to our centres and look at new ways to do this.”