Barclays responds to Castle Street branch closure news

* The Castle Street branch will close on July 7.

Barclays says it plans to open a Barclays Local – a pop-up cashless banking site – in Llangollen to help customers after it closes its local branch this summer.

It says it will also be offering virtual ‘tea and teach’ sessions for customers wishing to explore digital ways of banking.

The banking giant was responding to request from llanblogger to explain why it is shutting its Castle Street branch on July 7, as revealed in our story earlier today.

In an official response a Barclays spokesperson said: “Our customers’ behaviour has changed significantly in recent years, with the majority now choosing online banking. 

“This is reflected at Llangollen branch, and as we adapt, we are finding new ways to support our customers by maintaining our community presence with options for customers who still require in-person support.

“In Llangollen we plan to open a Barclays Local – a pop-up cashless banking site where customers can meet a colleague face-to-face for banking support, as they would in a branch and without the need to travel. We are currently working with the local community to identify a suitable location and will announce details once confirmed.”

Later in its response, the company says: “We will be proactively engaging with local businesses and the wider community to discuss the alternative ways customers will be able to undertake their banking locally.

“We will be offering virtual ‘tea and teach’ sessions for customers wishing to explore digital banking and other alternatives to branch based banking.”

In its notification of the closure to Clwyd South Senedd Member Ken Skates – seen by llanblogger - Barclays talks about the ongoing change in banking behaviour which has led to the closure.

And it reveals: “This ongoing change in behaviour means we are seeing a sustained fall in customer transactions across our network and this is reflected at the Llangollen branch where there has been a 58 per cent reduction in counter transactions in the last twelve months, compared to the twelve months to March 2020. In addition, we can identify that 87 per cent of our customers at the branch are using alternative ways in which to undertake their banking, including via the telephone, online and mobile app.”

It adds: “Despite the branch closure, we are confident that access to banking remains sufficient in the local community; everyday transactions can be completed at any Post Office, with the closest located at Berwyn Street, Llangollen, a short distance away. There are 2 free-to-use ATMs within one kilometre, the nearest located at the NatWest Bank, 38 Castle Street, Llangollen while the closest Barclays branches are located at Wrexham and Chester.

“We appreciate that not all of our customers will adopt change at the same pace, and we would like to underline our commitment to supporting our vulnerable customers through this change. We have identified that in total 12 regular customers use this branch exclusively for their banking and do not interact with us in other ways. We will be making personal contact with our regular and vulnerable branch users to discuss their options and guide them through alternative ways to bank.”

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes commented: "The announcement by Barclays that they are closing their branch in Llangollen on 7th July is very sad and will inconvenience many people, businesses and organisations locally.

"I have been working hard to keep the branch open alongside other elected representatives and members of the community in Llangollen so I feel very disappointed by this announcement.

"In the letter I received from Barclays today about their decision they asked for my views on the following three questions and I would be grateful for feedback from local residents on thee points which you can send to me by email on simon.baynes.mp@parliament.uk:

"What do you believe will be the biggest impact of the closure of the Llangollen branch on the local community?

"What do you believe will be the biggest impact of the closure of the Llangollen branch on customers of the branch?

"What alternative ways to bank do you believe need to be provided to help customers and the community adapt to this change?"