Local residents and businesses aired their views about the closure of Llandysul’s NatWest branch at a public meeting held last week.

At the end of August the RBS Group, who own NatWest, announced that they would be closing the NewQuay and Llandysul NatWest branches.

Llandysul’s bank is scheduled to close in December, and the move has been blamed on a drop in the number of transactions at the branches.

A petition has been launched against the closure.

Ceredigion MP Mark Williams, who attended the meeting, said he was left in no doubt about the strength of feeling of local Llandysul residents and businesses about the closure

He said: “The RBS Group seem to be ignoring many of the challenges facing my constituents. They tell me in correspondence that they acknowledge the strength of feeling on this issue, but I believe they must also acknowledge the importance of bank branches in rural areas like ours.”

Mr Williams added that online and mobile transactions are less available in areas such as Ceredigion, as large parts of his constituency lack adequate broadband and mobile reception.

He added: “Many of my constituents still value face to face transactions in both the English and Welsh languages, and businesses appreciate the convenience of a local easily accessible branch.

"In his letter to me, Mr Les Matheson the Chief Executive of Personal and Business Banking section, suggests that branches in Newcastle Emlyn and Aberaeron would be happy to welcome customers requiring assistance. This shows a lack of understanding of the geography of Ceredigion and West Wales, and a lack of understanding of the inadequacies of public transport. A point also made very strongly to me by the local business owners who attended yesterday’s meeting, is that few undertake banking and shopping in isolation. Many people would visit the town to do both at the same time, so this has a knock on effect on the rest of the high street. Local bank branches are an integral part of the community.

“I believe RBS has a social responsibility to rural areas such as ours, and they need to look at this decision once again. I applaud the efforts of the local community who after all are customers of the NatWest branches, and congratulate Mandy and Gary for organising the large meeting in Llandysul. I am particularly concerned that there seems to have been a reluctance from RBS to meet with local residents to discuss this, and as such, I shall we contacting RBS again.”