An Eastbourne Barclays branch is closing

Barclays is closing its Langney branch | Other 3rd Party

Barclays has announced it is closing one of its Eastbourne branches.

The bank in Langney Shopping Centre will close its doors on Thursday, May 7 this year.

Barclays sent out a letter to customers this morning (Friday) confirming the closure.

It said, “The decision to close a branch is never an easy one; however, we are finding that customers are increasingly using other ways to do their everyday banking.

“Taking into consideration the alternative ways to bank that are available in the area, we have made the decision to close the branch.”

This means the closest branch for Langney customers will now be the one in Terminus Road in Eastbourne town centre.

The news has not gone down well with some customers.

Taxi driver Pete Abel says he is “fuming” and is considering changing his bank.

He said, “Currently I find a parking space in the shopping centre easily, free, walk into a busy branch that often has a queue outside, pay in my earnings.

“Having this branch closed would mean enduring a trip into town and attempt to find a parking spot.

“Langney is so going to be missed.”

Langney resident Michelle Moorton also said parking would be a major issue.

She said, “It’s a real shame, I’m not looking forward to having to go in to the town to use the bank.

“Reason being parking, I will have to pay.

“Barclays here is convenient, every time I have been in there it is busy.”

Michelle admitted being one of the customers who uses online banking.

But she said, “People with businesses who need to put cash and cheques etc they need the bank and there is always a decent amount of people in the bank depositing there money.

“The elderly have already lost the Post Office in the shopping centre, once the bank has gone there will be nowhere for them locally to pay their bills.

“Just disappointing for everyone.”

However, Barclays says customer use of the branch has declined by 15 per cent in the last two years.

Jon Clowes, market director for the bank, said, “The way customers undertake their banking is changing as people increasingly use online, telephone and mobile devices.

“Over four fifths (81 per cent) of our customers now use telephone and online banking, which is why we have taken the difficult decision to close the branch.

“We hope the availability of our nearby Barclays branch in Eastbourne, along with our range of digital channels, will help to ease the transition for our customers.”

Barclays said the staff at Langney will be offered roles at other branches.