MP urges bank bosses to reconsider closing Stubbington branch

The firm is closing its Stubbington branch, leaving the village with just a Lloyds when it shuts in May.

Business owners and residents will have use of a Post Office, but the ATM will also be removed.

Barclays said the reason for the closure is a drop in footfall, with 68 per cent of its Stubbington customers regularly using alternative branches.

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage said: ‘I wrote to Barclays bosses, strongly urging them to reconsider their decision and to fulfil their moral responsibility to communities.

‘I’m extremely concerned about the plan to close the branch and believe that this will be to the detriment of people and businesses.

‘Many Stubbington residents completely rely on local services, particularly elderly or vulnerable individuals who cannot easily make the journey into Fareham.

‘The closure of Barclays could have potential implications for footfall in our village.’

Ward councillor at Fareham Borough Council Chris Wood said he was disappointed.

‘Stubbington has many elderly residents who much prefer talking to people face-to-face rather than over the phone or online,’ he said.

As previously reported in The News, other areas have been left with one or no banks following recent closures.

Lee-on-the-Solent no longer has a bank after HSBC shut and NatWest closed in Leigh Park and Portchester.

Emsworth has been affected after going from having four banks to just one in little over a year.

Chris Maynard, Barclays community director for Hampshire, said: ‘At our Stubbington branch, customer usage has continued to decline which is why we have taken the difficult decision to close the branch on Friday, May 20.

‘Our colleagues at the branch have been consulted and will be relocated to alternative branches nearby.

‘We hope that the availability of branches at Fareham and Park Gate and access to services at the local Post Office will help to ease the transition for our customers as we move out of Stubbington branch.’