A LYME Regis bank will shut later this year.

The NatWest branch in Broad Street will close its doors on Friday, September 4. Customers will be able to check their balance, deposit and withdraw funds from Lyme Regis Post Office, across the road.

The number of transactions taking place at the branch has dropped by 14 percent since 2011 and only 53 customers used the branch on a regular weekly basis – including 25 customers who already use other branches in the area.

NatWest will write to all customers who use the branch to inform them of the closure, and will display posters in the branch until September.

Four members of staff are employed at the Broad Street branch.  

A NatWest spokesperson said: "We do alway aim to redeploy staff to nearby branches where possible and keep compulsory redundancies to a minimum. 

“We will work hard to engage with all of our customers, local businesses and the wider local community between now and the closure date to ensure they are aware of the alternative ways of accessing their banking with us in the local area, and to answer any questions they might have.

“There are now more ways of banking with us than ever before, and as a result our customers are increasingly using alternative ways of banking with us.

“We do understand that some people do not want to use our online or mobile phone facilities and would prefer face to face banking.  Our branch network will remain the cornerstone of our service to customers and we will continue to have the second largest branch network in the UK.”