A Letchworth resident who regularly uses the soon-to-be-shut Barclays has slammed the company for not caring about customers who prefer visiting banks in-person, calling their plans a 'joke'.

The blast comes after Letchworth Nub News reported that the town's Barclays will close for good on September 30 - following the bank claiming that only seven customers use the Station Place branch near to Letchworth railway station.

Barclays insist that, compared to pre-pandemic business, Barclays say in 2021-22 the site saw a 60 per cent drop in counter transactions by customers, amplified by a 65 per cent fall in business and corporate customers.

The global giants claimed that only 573 customers used the branch 12 or more times in the last year, with around half that figures also using nearby branches,

However, this is strongly disputed by long-term Letchworth Barclays Bank regular Brian Burke, who scoffs at the figures raised by the company.

Speaking to Letchworth Nub News, Mr Burke, who is also president of Letchworth Rugby Club criticised Barclays, saying: "The news that the Letchworth branch of Barclays was to close as announced by Nub News last week came as little surprise - after all they were the last High Street bank to do so.

"Do they deserve three cheers for holding out so long?  I'm afraid that as with all the other big four their reasons for closing are a bit of a joke to say the least . 

"The article quotes 'seven regular users' and 573 on a monthly basis - but I go in at least three times a month and on average I have three to four people before me on a time spent of say 10 minutes." 

Mr Burke explains in detail that if you included him in the figures, then that is four people, and given they are open for just four hours a day compared to at least six hours before the pandemic, he calculates that there should be a footfall of at least 480 a week - which he says, allowing for repeat visits, gives a total of 1440 a month - nearly three times the amount Barclays claim.  

Mr Burke adds: "After all we have to listen to all these banks , not just Barclays , who claim they are by our side and that they really care for us, in advertising campaigns costing millions.

"Not only that but having run an accountancy practice for over thirty years, the lack of face to face meetings cannot help our green shoots of business grow in these ever uncertain times . Large banking corporations these days may mock the idea of a human making an informed decision to lend to a growing business some finance to get their business onto a firmer footing - however in my day you got support from the bank.

"Let's just face it: these mega billion organisations have no time for us, the little folk. They want to get rid of premises and staff but all the while wasting far more on their advertising budgets. In the meantime they hope their buildings will become Wetherspoons - well, unfortunately in dear old Letchworth, they once had no pubs - now they have no Banks.

"The ghost of Ebeneezer [Howard , the man who founded the world's first garden city here in Letchworth in 1903] will be spinning in his grave.

"Especially as Barclays were founded by Quakers."