COMMUNITY leaders have slammed a company's decision to close a village's last remaining bank.

Barclays' Whalley branch has been marked for closure and will shut its doors for the last time on Friday, May 4.

A Barclays spokesman said it was a 'difficult decision' to make but said more customers have been using 'alternative' ways to undertake their everyday banking and increasingly use online, telephone and mobile devices and 71 per cent of Whalley's customer base use alternative nearby branches.

Residents will still have access to the local post office located at 98 King Street, but, when the bank closes, the nearest branch will be four miles away on Castle Street in Clitheroe.

The leader of Ribble Valley Council, Whalley Chamber of Trade and the local MP have all reacted with anger to the decision.

John Atherton, the President of the Whalley Chamber of Trade, said: "I'm disappointed that no meeting as yet has taken place between Barclays Bank and the Chamber of Trade.

"There are a large number of local traders that Bank with Barclays.

"The number of counter transactions by business banking customers has increased by 14% and the number of cash transactions by local traders by a staggering 24% over the past three years.

"Loss of access to the specialist services that the branch provides to local traders will be a real wrench as they will now have to spend valuable time away from their businesses travelling into Clitheroe, Blackburn or Accrington."

Cllr Ken Hind, leader of Ribble Valley Council, said: "You can't obtain a mortgage using a cash machine.

"It is important that Barclays recognise the nature of the demographic in Whalley.

"There are a large and growing number of elderly residents in the village, a number of which have chosen to move here to retire - some of which have done so because there are or rather were banking facilities available in the village."

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans added: "If the figures Barclays presented show there was a steady decline in the number of customers using the branch over a long period there might be a justification for closing the bank.

"In fact the opposite is true. The number of customers using the branch have actually increased.

"Barclays quite simply don't have a leg to stand on and should commit to keeping the branch open as soon as possible.

"I have secured a meeting with some senior officials of the bank and I will be putting the points raised to me to them."