A WOMAN who started a petition to prevent the closure of a bank branch has written to its CEO.

Jill Leahy said she does not feel the Lloyds Bank branch in Worle should close.

The closure, according to Jill who also uses the branch, is likely to affect senior members of the community.

Writing to the CEO she said: “The email I sent them gave them statistics about why they should not close the branch.

“I do not feel the bank should close. The bank has the same footfall as the one in town.

“Many lack internet access—40 per cent of people over 65 who live alone are offline.

“Similarly, people with disabilities are four times more likely to be offline, and as of January 2023, approximately 11.9 million people in the UK were digitally excluded.

“Even those who are open to online services often face connectivity issues, with poor wi-fi access in rural areas posing a serious barrier.

“For these individuals, online banking is simply not a viable alternative, making the availability of in-branch services essential.”

She also said that while a 47 per cent reduction in footfall has been cited, this figure coincides with a roughly 50 per cent reduction in branch services over the past five years.

The bank was supposed to close on October 15, an extension means the branch will close on November 25.

A Lloyds spokesperson: “As many customers now choose to bank through their mobile app or online, visits to our Worle branch have fallen over recent years.

“When the branch closes later this month, customers can continue to manage their money online, by calling us, in person at our Weston Super Mare branch, or the local Post Office on Worle High Street.”

It is understood 83 per cent of the branch’s personal customers already use other ways of banking, such as mobile, internet or phone banking, as well as other branches.