NATWEST is moving out of Rochford- leaving the town with just one bank.

The announcement has been met with uproar, with councillors calling the closure "another nail in the coffin".

Natwest has confirmed its branch in West Street, Rochford, will shut on Thursday, July 14, due to a reduction in customers.

It means Barclays, also in West Street, which is open just four days a week, will be the only bank in the town.

Rochford Town Council Chairman, Arthur Williams, is concerned about the impact the closure will have on the town's trade.

He said: “I’m surprised. It’s another nail in the coffin of Rochford. Businesses aren’t having it easy at the moment and not having a bank here, means less reason for people to come into Rochford.

“It seems to us that the more facilities that go, the less people will come to the shops.

“People are not very happy.”

Barclays currently closes every Thursday, as well as on weekends.

Mr Williams added: “We are more concerned about the elderly people. They are the sort of people that don’t have the ability to use the internet for online banking.”

Natwest customer Darren Parsons, of Victory Lane, Rochford, is unhappy at the prospect of travelling out of Rochford for his banking.

The 49-year-old said: “We need Natwest in Rochford because we should have main banks in villages, not everyone wants and can travel to Rayleigh and Southend to be presented with machines.

“I think most people would rather have a customer focused branch like Natwest, I have banked with the branch for 25 years. If it's busy why close it.”

Jo Mcpherson, district councillor, is unhappy that residents were not consulted before the decision.

She said: “As far as I am aware Natwest have not talked to local customers, or local councillors. To not engage their community 'their customers' to investigate other options is unacceptable.”

Myra Weir, from Rochford Day Centre, in Bank Lane, said: “We are very concerned about this closing, it was a shock. It would be very difficult for us, everyone is a volunteer here and we use this bank.”

A spokesman for Natwest said the cash machine will stay in place.

He said: “Our nearest branch Southend is 3.3 miles away.

“We have reached an agreement with the local Post Office, which is close to the branch, so that our customers can pay money in, take money out, check balances and business customers can get coinage. There are four Post Offices within three miles of the branch.

“We’re closing this branch because the number of transactions at the branch has reduced by 20 per cent since 2011.

“Our customers are increasingly using alternative ways to bank such as online and mobile banking.”