DECISIONS by bankers to axe community branches in Ingleton and Bentham in the new year have sparked anger.

Barclays is to close its Ingleton branch on Friday, March 13, and the last Nat West transactions to take place in Bentham will be on the previous day, Thursday, March 12.

Representatives from Barclays are expected to meet with Ingleton Parish Council at its meeting in January to explain the decision.

And Nat West bosses have pledged to extend the bank's mobile service to Bentham and are currently working to map out the correct route. It will be published before the branch closes.

Craven councillor Carl Lis said the news of the closure in Ingleton had come as a bombshell because there had been no consultation.

"Barclays have promised to come and speak to us about the decision but what is the point of that. It's a fait accompli.

"Bankers have already got such a bad name. You'd think that reducing their bonuses slightly would help keep these branches alive.

"It is a blow to our community because we are trying to reinvigorate our retail attraction working along with a number of other groups. You'd think they'd want to help."

Linda Brockbank, who represents Bentham on Craven Council, said she was devastated by the news, the town having lost HSBC last year.

"This is a blow to our town centre. We've been reminded we can do our banking at the Post Office but that's no good for big transactions. It doesn't help those people who don't use internet banking."

A spokesman for NatWest said the decision to close Bentham had been a difficult one but the number of transactions taking place at the branch had dropped by 18 per cent over the past few years.

"We’re writing to our customers to make them aware of the closure and the different ways they can still bank with us.

"If customers or local businesses are concerned about how this will impact their banking, they can go into the branch where staff will be happy to discuss the alternative ways to bank with us."

Ingleton branch customer usage had declined by 40 per cent in recent years and more than 75 per cent of customers now regularly use alternative branches, said a spokesman for Barclays.

Staff at Ingleton would be given opportunity to work at another nearby branch and customers could undertake everyday transactions at Ingleton Post Office.