Barclays is set to close its Welshpool branch for the final time today (Friday) leaving one of mid Wales' largest town with only one bank.

The bank announced the closure earlier this year amid a decline in visits to the High Street branch which had dropped to just 13 regular customers.

However, Barclays will continue to have a presence in the town starting from next week. The 1st Clive's Own Welshpool Scout Headquarters & Community Centre, also known as the COWSHACC, will be open to Barclays customers every Monday and Wednesday from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

The bank added that it is committed to providing a Barclays colleague at the Welshpool banking hub once it's opened.

Welshpool is set to become the first town in Wales to get a new shared banking hub in late spring or during the summer.

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The first facility of its kind in Wales aims to serve customers of most major UK banks, offering over the counter banking services, as well as dedicated rooms where customers can meet with community bankers from their own bank.

A LINK spokesperson said it takes around nine to 12 months for a banking hub to get up and running and that the company is "making progress and our expectation is that it will open later next year.” The location of the new banking hub has yet to be announced.

Barclays will also shut its last Montgomeryshire branch in Newtown's High Street on Friday, September 23, with 30 customers using the branch exclusively for banking.

The bank added that a member of staff will be based at the Ladywell Business Centre in New Chruch Street every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm starting from Tuesday, September 27.