A BANK has announced it is to close its Darwen branch due to a ‘lack of use’.

HSBC at The Circus will shut for good on September 28.

Accounts held at the branch will be transferred to the nearest branch Blackburn, where the next nearest HSBC branch, in Church Street, Blackburn.

Alternatively, account-holders can travel to Astley Bridge, Bolton, to use their banking facilities.

A bank spokeswoman said there would be no job losses as a result of the closure.

Melissa Jobson, of HSBC, said: “We need to ensure that our branches are in the right locations for our customers. On occasions this means that we need to close some branches where customer footfall has fallen dramatically.

“Our Darwen branch is a case in point.

“Customer usage of the branch has fallen very significantly over the past few years as our customers either use other branches or they are using the 24-hour convenience of internet or telephone banking.

“We are working with the small number of customers who use the branch to help them reorganise their finances ahead of the planned closure.

“The members of staff who run the branch will transfer to another local branch.”

Darwen councillor David Foster, a customer of the bank for 50 years, said he planned to write to the bank.

He said: “When I have been in there I usually have to queue, so I will be writing to them asking why they are really shutting.

“I have been going in there for 50 years.

“It will be difficult now for local people and businesses who want to go in to do their banking.

“And a lot of elderly people don’t do online banking. A lot like the personal touch.

“You would think a town of this size would merit a branch of its own.”

Sunnyhurst councillor Dave Smith said: “This is bad news.

“I can’t understand why they would want to move.

“It always seems busy whenever I walk past.

“Banks should be making strides to connect better with people. This is a retrograde step.”

HSBC’s departure will leave just four banks in the town – NatWest, Lloyds TSB, Santander and Barclays.