WIVELISCOMBE’S NatWest Bank has closed its doors for the final time despite a campaign to save it.

The County Gazette has reported how NatWest said it had made the “difficult” decision to close the branch due to a 20% drop in transactions in recent years, with more customers using mobile and online banking.

Taunton Deane MP Jeremy Browne wrote to the chief executive of NatWest/RBS to complain about the closure, while a group of villagers also launched a petition.

Heather Harvey, landlady of The Bear Inn who set up the petition, told the County Gazette this week: “The reaction from the bank has been ‘you can do your petitions and your protests but nothing is going to change our minds’.

“The people paying the price are their loyal customers.

“The bank closing is a blow but we still have a post office, which is open five days a week so people will still be able to use some banking services.”

When the proposed closure was announced, NatWest said the branch only had 35 customers who visited it on a weekly basis.

The In The Mix Youth Project has created a 17-minute video which highlights some of the issues surrounding the bank’s closure.

It includes interviews with people from the town, including Heather Harvey and other members of the 10 Parishes Business Group.

It is called Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus and NatWest Bankers are From Saturn.

To view it, go to the You Tube website and search ‘NatWest Bankers are From Saturn’.