LEDBURY people have responded with concern and dismay over the closure of the Homend branch of NatWest.

It is the second bank to quit the town in a year, with HSBC deciding to move out last summer, and now Ledbury people are fearing that an ongoing "bank drain" from the town could be on the cards.

The closure of the Ledbury branch of NatWest was flagged up by the bank as early as December, when the closure date of June 1 was given.

A Nat West spokesman at the time said: "With more customers using a digital services, the number using our branches for everyday transactions is falling".

But the closure was described this week as "awful" by Cllr Annette Crowe, of the Past and Present jewellery shop in the Homend.

She said: "We are a thriving town with thriving businesses, and business people cannot take time out of their day to travel to Hereford or Malvern to bank their monies; and a lot of elderly people don't do internet banking, Having an active customer base doesn't seem to count; but I have had people say they will now go to different banks.

"But we are still doing better than some towns. We still have three banks, which are Lloyds, Barclays and TSB, and I hope we will continue to have three banks."

But local people are now keeping fingers crossed that the Ledbury 'bank drain" will not be ongoing.

John Nash, of John Nash Antiques in the High Street said: "They way things are going we are not going to have a bank in town at all; I'm worried other banks could follow suit. It seems to be the trend."

Cllr Martin Eager, owner of the Homend Mews said he was "very sad" over the closure of NatWest in Ledbury.

He added: "It's very disappointing. Any closure in the town centre does not help the town."

Following reports on social media that NatWest would now send a mobile bank at regular intervals to the town, resident Gary Williams posted on the Facebook site, Voice of Ledbury: "I can't help but think this is yet another sign that this country is heading backwards instead of forwards. Weren't mobile shops and the like big in the middle of the last century?"

NatWest was contacted for a comment but had not responded at the time of going to press.