MINEHEAD'S Barclays bank branch is set to close this summer.

Customers in the local area received a letter today (Friday, March 1) informing them the store, located on The Parade, will close on Friday, June 14.

Barclays say the number of people using the branch had continued to decline as more and more people used online banking.

Mark Hatcliffe, community banking director for Barclays Bristol, Somerset and Wiltshire, said: "The way customers undertake their banking is changing as people increasingly use online, telephone and mobile devices.

"At Barclays Minehead branch, customer usage has continued to decline and additionally nearly three quarters (74 per cent) of our branch customers are also using other ways to do their banking such as online and by telephone.

"We hope that the availability of alternative ways of banking and access to services at the Post Office including Avenue, Alcombe and Dunster, along with our range of digital channels will help to ease the transition for our customers.”

Barclays said it did not the decision to close any branch lightly, and would be proactively engaging with local businesses and the wider community to discuss alternate ways for customers to carry out their banking locally.

The bank will also be hosting a series of 'Tea and Teach' session at the Minehead branch for customers wishing to explore digital banking.

One Barclays Minehead customer who received the letter this morning said: "Yes I do use online banking but I also frequently use the bank in town if I am doing something a little more complicated.

"I think it will be a blow for many of the elderly residents. If you do need to go to a branch for whatever reason, the nearest ones now are Taunton, Bridgwater or Tiverton, and I also imagine holiday makers will be frustrated when they find there is no branch."

Customers will be able to undertake everyday transactions at any Post Office.