Ramsey residents have expressed their concern after a bank announced it would be shutting its branch in the town.

Barclays Bank in Great Whyte, revealed it would be closing in February next year.

The news has prompted widespread concern among traders, residents and councillors.

William Wise, partner at solicitors Serjeant & Son in High Street, is now worried about his elderly customers not having the branch close by.

He said: “It is quite a big branch in the town; it does make a huge difference to those that can’t travel too far.

“We do our banking with them and we are going to be affected quite a lot as a lot of our clients’ bank with them.”

A spokesman for Barclays Bank said the decision to close the branch had not been taken lightly, but stressed that staff are being given the opportunity to work at a nearby branch.

“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,” the spokesman said.

The bank showed a falling level of transactions with a 15 per cent reduction compared to last year with 32 per cent of its customers already using other branches.

The official added: “We hope that the availability of nearby branches at Chatteris, Whittlesey and Huntingdon, access to services at the local Ramsey Post Office and our range of digital channels will help to ease the transition for our customers as we move out of the Ramsey branch.”

All customers will receive a letter from the banking giant and posters will be displayed in branch with staff on hand to assist with customer concerns.

The announcement comes after the news that Ramsey police station could close in a wave of savings by Cambridgeshire police.

UKIP district Councillor Peter Reeve said: “Any business that leaves are town is a massive loss, we appreciate it is not an issue about Ramsey we understand it is across the country.

“This will be a significant loss for the town the most affected will be those vulnerable people who don’t want to be on the internet and prefer the face to face approach.”

Despite the closure of Barclays Cllr Reeve insisted the town is currently up and coming with business looking to move into the thriving town.