BUSINESSES in Highworth will likely be able to bank with the Post Office when the Lloyds branch closes in April.

Following a meeting on Wednesday between North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson and the banking operations director at the Post Office Martin Kearsley, plans have been put in place to ensure local traders are not left without the means to access a high street bank.

It comes after news that, due to the changing nature of banking, Lloyds will close its Highworth branch on April 4 2017.

The bank claims that fewer people now use the High Street store, with around 68 per cent of Highworth customers already using other branches and other ways to bank, such as online or over the phone.

As present, Lloyds personal customers can bank via the Post Office, which provides an alternative for them in Highworth. And Wednesday’s meeting, held at the MPs offices in the Orbital Centre, sought to allow business customers and local traders to do the same.

Mr Tomlinson said: “The Post Office is already exploring this possibility and we can expect it to be available next year. However, I have pushed them to make Highworth a pilot so it can be ready for April 4 when Lloyds is proposed to close.

“We held a very constructive meeting and they have assured me they will do everything they can as they understand how important it is for the Highworth community to be able to access a bank.”

Nick Kennett, chief executive of Post Office Financial Services, said: “We have established a service that enables almost every UK bank account holder to undertake cash withdrawals and deposits in all of our Post Offices, thereby supporting customers who prefer to continue their daily banking in a face to face environment.

“We are committed to providing local services by offering the largest expansion in access to basic banking services ever. We are continuing to work with our partner banks to develop and promote banking services available at the Post Office to ensure that customers are aware of and taking full advantage them.”

When news broke earlier this month, a lot of residents in Highworth were alarmed to hear they would be losing the town’s only bank.

Mayor Alan Bishop said: “We are really disappointed. The NatWest bank closed some time ago so this will now leave us with no bank at all.

“They have said that they will bring mobile units in for a couple of hours each week in the market square so people can do their banking there, or they can transfer to Swindon or Faringdon.

“And although we’ve got a very good bus service, to go in to Swindon just to visit the bank is more of a chore than a pleasure I would think.”