ANGRY residents on the Bere Peninsula will lose their last bank — and Yelverton, Princetown, and Gunnislake communities will also be without one when Lloyds TSB closes four sub-branches this summer.

A spokesman for Lloyds TSB blamed the closures on 'lack of use'.

But the withdrawal of these services on June 30 has angered customers who have been told they will have to deal with the Tavistock branch.

Members of West Devon Borough Council who represent these areas are also angry at the termination of banking facilities.

West Devon deputy mayor, and councillor for Bere Alston, Christine Grills said the closures were 'an absolute disgrace'.

'It is the only bank on the Bere Ferrers peninsula. We have an awful lot of elderly citizens in the area and they will find it difficult to get to Tavistock or Plymouth to do their banking,' said Cllr Grills.

'This is the thin end of the wedge. What else will we lose? It is all very well modernising — but they aren't providing services for this area.'

The first thing Bere Alston resident Michael Johnson said he knew about the closure was when his wife received a leaflet saying, 'We're moving'. It advised the 'same friendly service' would be found in the Bedford Square, Tavistock branch.

'It is nonsense to say they are moving — they are closing.'

Mr Johnson said he would be writing to Lloyds TSB. 'I will be letting them know there are people dissatisfied about it. I'm not going to start banking on the internet at my age. I like speaking to people.

'Ten years ago there were three banks here — now they have all gone. You can always find reasons to close. But I would have thought a community like this would need a bank.'

The Yelverton sub-branch of Lloyds TSB, which opened in 1923, will be closing on the same date — much to the anger of some regular customers.

Steve Dey, who has lived in Dousland for 25 years, and been a customer of Lloyds for 40 years, said: 'This closure is going to cause inconvenience to people living in the villages of Yelverton, Buckland Monachorum, Meavy and Dousland.'

Mr Dey complained that not only was the sub-branch closing but, because all bank enquiries are centralised, it was now no longer possible to telephone the Tavistock branch.

However, the bank's spokesperson said the centralising of telephone enquiries was done to allow branch staff to devote more time to customers at the counter.

She said the reason for the closures was because the branches were not being used enough.

'Some times of the year it is better than others because of tourists. They are just not being used enough,' said the spokesman.

'Lloyds TSB has an agreement with the Post Office so our customers can do their basic banking there. They can withdraw and deposit from there which should help ease fears about getting money.

'We have negotiated a deal with the Post Office for people that don't find it easy to go to the nearest town. We piloted this scheme and it has been running successfully nationally now since last year.'

'There has been a change in people's banking habits over the years because there are now so many ways in which people can do their banking.'

The spokesman said all the accounts were already held at Tavistock.

West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett also condemned the closure proposal: 'The banks expect loyalty from customers but are not prepared to give the same loyalty in return. It just goes to emphasise the importance of keeping our rural post office network — where else can people go?'

West Devon Council's chief executive David Incoll said it was likely the full council would wish to consider the matter at its next meeting.

Mr Incoll said at the end of the day they had to accept it is a business decision, but added: 'I think we'd put pressure on the bank to reconsider.'