THE Minehead branch of HSBC bank was closing its doors on Tuesday (May 9) for the final time as the company continued its programme of closures around the country.

To help customers adjust to the closure HSBC was arranging for a ‘pop up’ bank branch to be in Minehead Library, in Bancks Street, between 9.30 am and 12 noon on May 25, June 15, July 11, and July 25.

The closure follows the loss of the town’s Barclays Bank four years ago and comes as there were fears for the future of NatWest Bank in Minehead after it told customers that it was withdrawing some of its core services.

Since the HSBC closure announcement the bank has also been given planning permission by the former Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT) to remove its outside cash machine (ATM), cctv cameras, and signage.

SWT planning officer Russell Williams said the external changes would help to improve the look of the town’s Wellington Square Conservation Area.

Mr Williams said the ATM would be replaced with a new window designed to match the building’s existing windows.

An HSBC spokesman told the Free Press today: “We never take a decision to close a branch lightly.

“We have carried out a thorough review of every location and unfortunately some branches are no longer sustainable.

“Customers are continuing to migrate from physical to digital banking and footfall in our branches is at an all-time low, with no signs of it returning, while digital adoption and usage is soaring.

“Banking remotely is becoming the norm and we need to take action to make sure we have a sustainable branch network that is fit for the future.

“We are doing that by investing tens of millions of pounds in updating and improving our branch network while also providing significant investment in digital functionality and banking through our mobile banking app, plus providing continued investment in and support for shared banking hubs and access to cash, as well as our arrangement to enable our customers to use the network of 11,500 Post Offices.”

The spokesman said a broad range of local support was also offered beyond the traditional bank branch, including pop-up branches which were arranged locally to address the needs in each area.

He said in the case of Minhead the nearest Post Office was only a short distance away, and there were 13 free to use ATMs within one-and-a-quarter miles, while ‘cashback’ services were available in local supermarkets.

In addition to NatWest, Minehead town centre still has TSB and Santander banks.