COUNCILLORS have made a plea to Barclays to keep a presence in Frodsham.

Town councillors Liam Jones and Adam Wordsworth have joined Cheshire West & Chester Councillors Lynn Riley and Andrew Dawson to call on Barclays not to leave Frodsham without a bank.

Barclays announced its intention to close its Main Street branch on February 23 at the end of last year. HSBC and NatWest had previously quit the town earlier in 2017.

Barclays have suggested customers should travel to Stockton Heath or Widnes – but eading 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.

The councillors have sent a letter asking the CEO of Barclays to try to secure a staff-free branch in Frodsham.

Overton & Five Crosses ward councillor Liam Jones said: “The changes we are seeing in the banking sector are not going to be stopped. But they can be an opportunity for us to bring something new and exciting to our high street.”

Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury has written to Theresa May about the issue and has launched a petition on his website as well as gathering signatures in Frodsham town centre.

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.