Another blow has been struck to Pembrokeshire’s County town as a major bank has announced today, Friday, January 26, that it will close its branch there.

Barclay’s Bank in Haverfordwest, located on the town’s High Street, will close om May 10 this year, it has been announced.

A spokesperson for the bank said that the Haverfordwest branch only had 32 regular customers who used the branch exclusively for their banking and do not interact with Barclay’s in any other way.

They added that less than 10 per cent of transactions now take place inside a branch. More than 90 percent of transactions are completed digitally, there are nearly four billion app logins a year and Barclays digital customers now stand at 10.9 million.

“As visits to branches continue to fall, with the majority of people preferring to bank online, we need to adapt to provide the best service for all our customers,” said the spokesperson.

“This is reflected at Haverfordwest, where we are delivering new ways to support our customers and the community with options for those who need in-person services.

“In Haverfordwest we plan to open a Barclays Local – a 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.”

Barclays Local operates in more than 300 locations and is a flexible community presence in places such as town halls and libraries, mobile vans and banking pods.

Customers can access a range of in-person support such as help with digital banking, financial reviews, balance checks, transfers and bill payments.

Barclay’s says that its customers have a wide range of options to complete their banking including their Local, Barclays app, telephone banking, online banking and video banking.

Everyday transactions can also be completed at any Post Office with the closest located at 14A Bridge Street and the nearest free-to-use ATM at HSBC, 41 High Street.

The news comes on the same day that Cardigan councillors expressed their anger at the closure of their town’s Barclay’s. This means that the closest Barclays branches are will be in Carmarthen and Cardiff.

“The branch closure will be in accordance with our regulatory obligations,” sad the spokesperson. “All of our regular customers will receive a letter, our decision to close document and posters will be displayed in branch, and colleagues will be on hand to assist customers with any concerns they may have.

“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 also be offering virtual digital support sessions for customers wishing to explore digital banking and other alternatives to branch based banking.”