MKE Amesbury MP has raised the issue of a closure-threatened Frodsham bank with the Prime Minister.

In November, Barclays announced plans to axe the branch on Main Street. The closure, scheduled for February 23, comes after two other banks – HSBC and NatWest – recently shut their doors in the town, with Barclays suggesting customers should instead travel to Stockton Heath or Widnes.

Heading to Widnes would incur a toll charge on the Mersey Gateway crossing, and using public transport to either site would require a round-trip of at least two hours including bus and/or train changes.

Mr Amesbury, the MP for Weaver Vale, has launched a petition on his website as well as gathering signatures in Frodsham town centre, which between the two have so far accrued almost 200 signatures.

He had previously written to the head of Barclays and the Business Secretary, but following Theresa May’s claims in the Commons recently that bank closures were ‘a commercial decision’ and that the government would not get involved, he has now written to her as well.

Mr Amesbury said: “These are important institutions that communities, businesses and many elderly people depend on. To simply disregard this need as a 'commercial matter' will offer no reassurance to my constituents.

“I’d encourage anyone who wants to help fight this closure to sign the petition at www.mikeamesbury.org.”