THE MP for Torridge and West Devon has urged the chief executive of Barclays Bank to halt the proposed closure of the Holsworthy branch.

MP Geoffrey Cox has challenged the decision to shut Holsworthy’s Barclays branch this autumn.

In their announcement, Barclays said the decision was made as a result of a decline in transactions in the bank, with more customers using online banking.

In a letter to the chief executive of Barclays, Mr Cox expressed his disappointment with the announcement and has urged the chief executive to reconsider the decision citing the ‘undue financial and personal difficulty’ the decision will impose on local businesses and individuals.

The potential closure on Friday, October 13, means the nearest branch will be in Bude.

Mr Cox said: “I have made it clear to Barclays that banking facilities are vital in rural communities where a large number of elderly people and local businesses do not have easy access to transport or readily available access to fast internet speeds. They rely on their local bank for everyday transaction and cannot depend exclusively on online banking.”

The Post Office will continue to offer basic banking services to customers.