Locals fight village bank closure

10 March 2000



Locals fight village bank closure

by FWi staff

VILLAGERS in Belford, Northumberland have formed an action group to fight the decision by Barclays Bank to close its branch there.

The loss of the bank will leave villagers with an 18-mile round trip to the resort of Seahouses if they wish to continue using counter services.

“It will kill our little town,” campaigner Geoff OConnell told The Daily Telegraph.

Lib-Dem MP Alan Beith, whose constituency includes Belford, has secured a Commons debate next week on the threat to the branch.

Lord Walton, who has a nearby holiday cottage, wants the government to say whether it has examined the social consequences of such closures.

Support has also come from the Rt Rev Martin Wharton, Bishop of Newcastle, who has previously spoken out for farmers in crisis.

The branch is one of 170 being closed by Barclays with less than six weeks notice to customers. It says they are no longer commercially viable.