More than 700 people have so far added their names to a petition opposing the closure of the Lloyds TSB branch in Brookmans Park.

Customers were told last week that the Bradmore Green branch is to close on April 14.

Since then, a petition in the Brookmans Park Newsagents has been growing by the day.

It is now 12 pages long. Concerned residents and customers have also been writing to this site.

One from the Royal Veterinary College wrote: “It's a great shame that Brookmans Park is in the latest national batch of villages and small towns to have its local banking facilities closed down on grounds of 'savings, 'technology', etc. Quite a few of us here (students, staff, etc) are annoyed about this too. “

Another seemed prepared to accept the inevitability of the move but wrote: “The suggestion of keeping the Cash Point is sensible. If the Post Office is to handle deposits and withdrawals of cash on behalf of Lloyds TSB, the queues are likely to get out of hand. A Cash Point would greatly ease the burden.”

A spokesman for Lloyds TSB said the reason the branch is to close in April is that it has a low 'footfall' due to the increased use of Internet and telephone banking.

He apologised to local customers but said the bank had made arrangements with the Brookmans Park Post Office so that customers could still withdraw and deposit cash there. He said the nearest branch of Lloyds TSB to Brookmans Park is in Potters Bar where all the accounts are held.

However in another e-mail to this site's 'Have Your Say' section, one customer challenged Lloyd TSB’s claim that the bank wasn’t used enough: “I am a regular user of the facilities in Brookmans Park although my account is held elsewhere. This - in common l am sure with others - may suggest a lower level of customer demand than is actually the case, and l would, therefore, request Lloyds to reconsider their decision.”

And a couple who recently moved their account to the Brookmans Park branch suggested the bank had let them down: “We feel deceived by Lloyds TSB as we specifically asked whether this branch would close prior to moving our account to Brookmans Park two months ago.  The fact that Lloyds had a branch in the village with a Cash Point facility was THE reason we transferred account to them!! We've written to David Brett, Lloyds Branch Manager, requesting that if the branch is to close that the Cash point machine remains, as this is a very useful facility, which can be maintained at minimal cost to the bank.”

Have your say

Are you concerned about the Bank's closure?  What will you do now?  Have Your Say

January 16, 2000

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