The Lloyds bank in Presteigne has temporarily closed, leaving both Presteigne and Knighton - in effect the east of the county - without a bank branch.

“Due to the challenging times we’re all experiencing we’ve had to close some branches,” Lloyds says on its website.

Presteigne is listed, alongside many others across the UK - including the branch in Newtown.

However, this decision, which is understood to be down to staffing shortages due to coronavirus, has more of an impact on Presteigne; it being the only bank left in the town. There are also no bank branches left in neighbouring Knighton.

“This whole patch of rural eastern Powys has been left without a bank branch at the moment,” Presteigne Councillor Beverley Baynham said.

There’s still a post office, within the town’s Premier Shop - albeit with shorter opening hours, where people can get cash out, and there’s an ATM too - although it’s not clear if this will continue to be topped up with cash now that bank staff aren’t going into work.

Cllr Baynham said as people can’t go out at the moment, except for essential journeys, they don’t really need the cash.

“I’m not sure people are using the bank at the moment. No one has been emailing or shouting about it to me. But I don’t want people to think the bank isn’t needed.”

Cllr Baynham said that the local community has got quite a good local system set up, with there being a Spar and Premier shop, and a local butcher and deli, with home deliveries available to take groceries to people’s doors; which involve paying over the phone and not in cash.

However, Cllr Baynham said she is worried for upcoming weeks: “At some point we are going to need the bank. People will want to pay their bills.”