A TOWN centre bank has closed its doors.

Barclays’ Bridport branch, on East Street, shut at midday on Friday.

The bank announced the closure back in December, citing a decline in footfall as the reason. It said only 249 customers used the Bridport branch exclusively for banking.

But the news was described as ‘a great blow’ to the town, and many people wrote letters to the Bridport News to express their disappointment.

Robert Muhl, president of Bridport Business Chamber of Trade, said the closure would have a ‘massive effect’ on the businesses and customers that use Barclays.

He said: “I wonder why a town as large as Bridport should lose such an established bank.

“This will have a massive effect on businesses who need and use the facilities, and also customers of a certain age who rely on their branch – it’s very disappointing”

The closure means customers will have to travel to Dorchester as the nearest branch.

County, district and town councillor Keith Day said the closure was ‘highly regrettable’ and would hit the elderly the hardest.

He said: “I am a Barclay’s customer myself and I know from my conversations with friends and other local people how disappointed they are. Bridport and the surrounding areas are a retirement area with a larger than average elderly population. Many of the elderly, although they may have a computer and broadband to communicate with friends and family, do not use, or trust, internet or phone banking. These people will be hit hardest by the closure.”

Chris Maynard, community banking director for Barclays Dorset and Solent, said consumer habits had changed and the move was to accommodate this.

Mr Maynard said: “The way customers undertake their banking is changing as people increasingly use online, telephone and mobile devices.

“At Barclays’ Bridport branch, customer usage has continued to decline and additionally, 74 per cent of our branch customers are also using other ways to do their banking, such as online and by telephone, which is why we have taken the difficult decision to close the branch.

“We hope that the availability of our nearest Barclays branches at Dorchester, Chard and Yeovil, access to services at any Post Office, including Granville House, West Street, Bridport, along with our range of digital channels will help ease the transition for our customers.”