THE Barclays Bank in Newton Abbot may be replaced by a ‘pod’ in the Asda car park, disappointed town councillors have been told.

Another option might be to set up a mini-bank in the Passmore Edwards Library, or possibly arrange for a mobile facility to visit.

The firm has confirmed that the Courtenay Street branch, the only Barclays in town, and indeed Teignbridge, will close later this year.

It claims transactions over the counter have fallen by two thirds as customers switch to remote banking.

At a meeting of Newton Abbot Town Council last Wednesday the firm’s Michael Watts told members that ‘the world has changed’ and that ‘we have a transformational journey to go on.’

He said 85 per cent of the 16,000 personal customers and 2,000 businesses that use the Courtenay Street branch were using online and telephone banking.

Over-the-counter transactions had fallen from 3,300 per week in 2019 to around 1,000, he told the meeting.

Defending criticism that some people couldn’t master new technology or might still want to pay in cheques he said: ‘We can’t wait for the very last customer to walk into Newton Abbot with the very last cheque for the very last time.’

Mr Watts claimed that 95 per cent of branch services could be accessed via telephone banking and that the Courtenay Street building was in need of significant investment that couldn’t be justified.

Town Development Manager Sally Henley expressed surprise that Barclays intended to keep branches in Paignton and Torquay but not Newton Abbot.

‘The population of Newton Abbot is going to double,’ she said.

‘Keeping Torquay and Paignton open which are just a stone’s throw away doesn’t make sense.’

Cllr Rob Hayes suggested that closing counters in the past couple of years had driven business away. ‘You’re letting customers down, there’s no loyalty just pounds, shillings and pence,’ he said.

Mr Watts said he was keen to hear members’ alternative suggestions and that he would be happy to address them again.

Mayor Cllr Mike Joyce thanked Mr Watts but said: ‘I think you’ve got the gist of it, we’re not happy.’