A BANK will be closing its branch in Wickford due lack of use by customers.

Lloyds Bank, in High Street, will close its doors for the final time on September 16 this year.

The branch is one of 30 that will close between August and October across the country.

The branches in Basildon Town Square, Rayleigh and Hadleigh will remain open.

A Lloyds Bank spokesman said: “We have made the difficult decision to close the Lloyds Bank, Wickford branch on September 16 2019 due to the changing ways customers choose to bank with us, which has resulted in the branch being used less often.

“We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause, customers can continue to access their banking locally by visiting the new mobile branch, or the nearby Post Office, which is less than half a mile from the branch. The nearest alternative branch is Rayleigh.”

Malcolm Buckley, county councillor for Wickford Crouch, said: “I am disappointed that we are to lose another valued business from the town centre.

“It’s an issue for Wickford because the damage to town centres quality are staggering at the moment.”

“Whilst more customers are using phone and online services there is a social as well as a business aspect to dealing with one’s affairs face to face with a human.

“Wickford is perhaps more resilient than many other towns being served by Barclays, NatWest, Santander, Nationwide and Halifax (part of the Lloyds Group but not affected), but this will be one more vacant town centre premise to fill.

“This will be greatly worrying as to what will come in to subsequently replace the bank.”