Local councillors have reacted with shock and anger to the news that their town’s Barclays Bank will close this spring.

The axing of the High Street branch of Barclay's Bank in Cardigan will leave Lloyds Bank and HSBC as the town's last remaining banks.

The Tivyside understands Cardigan’s Barclays will close on April 26, followed by the Aberystwyth branch – Barclays’ last in Ceredigion – on May 3.

Giving her reaction, county councillor Elaine Evans described it as ‘a huge blow’ for the community.

“We have generations of families and business who have been loyal customers,” she told the Tivyside.

“This closure will particularly hit our small businesses who will now have to travel miles to the nearest branch to do their banking.

“It will also impact on customers who do not have access to internet banking – this is a very disappointing decision.

“We have seen bank closures in town centres across rural Wales over the years, but it’s a bitter blow when it happens to our own town centre, which is so vibrant.

“But it seems we are not immune to these banking decisions either, despite our rurality.”

And town mayor Cllr Sian Maehrlein said she felt most sorry for the bank’s elderly customers who had no internet.

“Most of these people have been long and faithful Barclays customers for many years,” she added. “I suppose it's a sign of the times.

“People are encouraged to do online banking and even deposit cheques by using their phones.

“Barclays Bank is another High Street name gone.”

Ceredigion MS Elin Jones accused banks of treating their customers badly by withdrawing completely from the high streets and abandoning town centre landmark buildings they had occupied for decades.

“It’s a major blow that Barclays is pulling out of Aberystwyth and Cardigan.

“Soon there’ll be no banks left in Ceredigion, or even Wales. Banks are treating their customers badly by withdrawing completely from the high streets and abandoning town centre landmark buildings that they have occupied for decades.

“Jobs are lost too from our rural towns to faceless call centres and bots. The UK government has done nothing to prevent this change and people and businesses will find it harder to access services from now on, especially the elderly.”

And Ceredigion MP Ben Lake described the impending closure of Ceredigion’s last two Barclays Bank branches as ‘incredibly disappointing’.

He is now seeking an urgent meeting with Barclays executives to seek an explanation for the move.

“This latest decision reinforces my belief that banking hubs should be established in rural areas such as Ceredigion so that access to physical banking advice and services is retained,” he added.

Barclays established their first branch in Wales at Haverfordwest in 1827.