BARCLAYS has announced plans to close its Hadleigh branch, prompting fury from customers.

Barclays Bank, in London Road, Hadleigh, will shut for on Friday, June 15, because of a 76 per cent decline in the number of customers using it.

The closure means loyal customers will be forced to travel to Rayleigh, Leigh or Canvey to use the bank.

Customer Alf Papworth, from Hadleigh Residents Association, spoke out to criticise the closure. He has banked at Barclays in Hadleigh for 54 years.

He said: “I think it’s disgusting.

“The bank has loyal customers – they have given no thought to how we are going to go about banking.

“They are just looking after themselves.

“Now you will have to go to Canvey, Rayleigh or Leigh, I think the bank should pay expenses for travel.”

All customers will receive a letter on Barclays’ decision to close and posters will be displayed in the branch.

Staff at the bank will be offered positions at other branches, while tea and teach sessions are planned for customers looking to use online, mobile or telephone banking.

Ann Jones, from Hadleigh, said: “It’s such a shame because it’s so convenient. I will have to travel to Leigh or Southend from now on.

“But it’s a shame because I’m sure other businesses will lose out from people like me who use the bank but then shop elsewhere.”

Jon Clowes, community banking director for Barclays in Essex said: “The way customers undertake their banking is changing as people increasingly use online, telephone and mobile devices.

“At the branch in Hadleigh, customer usage has continued to decline and more than 76 per cent of the customers of the branch are already using online, mobile or telephone banking.

“We hope that the availability of the branches in Leigh, Rayleigh and Southend and access to services at the nearby Post Office in Asifs New Pharmacy, along with our range of digital channels will help to ease the transition for our customers.”

Mr Clowes went on to say Barclays is committed to adhering to the UK Access to Banking Standard, an industry-wide agreement to work with customers and communities to minimise the impact of branch closures.

But in 2017 the bank closed dozens of its UK branches, along with almost every major bank.