A bank has announced its plans to close a branch in Lower Earley, forcing locals to travel miles to access the next nearest one.

Halifax Bank, beside the ASDA complex in Lower Earley, has announced its plans to close by June 29, 2020.

The firm has blamed the move on the increase of users banking online or via mobile apps, and that the branch was not being used often enough to keep the unit maintained.

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Halifax said at the Lower Earley branch alone, counter transactions are down by 10per cent, machine transactions are down by 28per cent, and overall the amount of residents using the branch is 47per cent lower than the average branch usage.

For Earley and Lower Earley residents, the bank has stated where the next two closest branches are available - Broad Street, Reading, 3.23 miles away, and Market Place, Wokingham, which is 5.77 miles away.

The bank also stated that cash machines are still available less than 200 meters away from the branch, and the Post office in ASDA can also help residents with some aspects of finance management.

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Residents have taken to social media to raise concerns, with one local resident posting on Facebook: "In case you are a Halifax customer and have not yet heard, the Reading Lower Earley branch will be closing at the end of June this year.

"They call this customer service."

However, another resident also posted on Facebook saying: "The staff never do anything over the counter anyway, they just do everything through the machines in the foyer.

"It's not like you can get cash either - they didn't even have £500 when I tried to make a withdrawal last year."

Following the announcement of this closure, there will soon be no more banks in the Earley area.