Black Country bank closure to leave customers stranded

Bosses at Barclay's have confirmed the branch in Zoar Street, Gornal, will shut in October.

The closure will leave customers with a four-mile round trip to the nearest alternative branch in Sedgley.

Barclays claim use of the branch has fallen by half in the last seven years, but village leaders say it is frequently busy with customers.

Councillor David Branwood, who represents Gornal on Dudley Council, has launched a campaign to save the branch from closure.

He said: "Gornal is a thriving village and is always busy with local people using the shops. Many local people rely on this branch and will find it difficult to travel to another.

"I know there are many customers who do not drive. The bank is in the middle of the village and people have been using it for decades.

"It is those people who rely on the branch who are most likely to be inconvenienced from having to travel into Sedgley.

"I will be writing to the Chairman of Barclay's Bank asking him to think again and I would encourage others do the same."

Letters have been sent by Barclay's to branch customers telling them of the closure from October 9.

The banking giant said staff have been consulted and will be given the opportunity to work at a nearby branch.

Raj Dhaliwal, Barclay's community leader for the Black Country said: "The way customers undertake their banking is changing as people increasingly use online, telephone and mobile devices. We must therefore evolve the shape and size of our branch network in response to changing customer behaviour.

"At Barclays Lower Gornal branch, customer usage has declined by 50 per cent since 2008 and over half of our customers regularly use alternative branches, which is why we have taken the difficult decision to close the branch on 9th October.

"We hope that the availability of nearby branches, access to services at the local Post Office and our range of digital channels will help to ease the transition for our customers."

The campaign to stop the closure is being supported by Dudley North MP Ian Austin who is hosting a petition on his website.

Councillor Branwood said he was hoping to hold a public meeting at Baggeridge Social Club and will invite a Barclays' representative.

Fellow Gornal councillor, Anne Millward, said she too was concerned.

"I am really dismayed by this," she said. "I know Barclays is a massive business which is perhaps looking to streamline but surely the branch has got to be paying its way in Gornal as it is used by so many people."