Axe for Wickersley building society branch

The Bawtry Road branch will close on September 20 after the company said it had seen “a significant decline in the number of people using the branch,

mirroring changing customer preferences to make greater use of the Society's digital and telephone services”.

Online transactions were up 65 per cent in two years, it said.

Andrew Bottomley, Skipton’s director of distribution and financial advice, said: “It is with regret we have had to make the decision to close this branch in September.

“We’ve been so proud to serve our customers in person in Wickersley and have held off for as long as we can before having to close the branch, which will be the first time Skipton has closed a branch in several years.

“But fewer people are using the branch in spite of the best efforts of our team there.

“The society remains committed to offering face-to-face customer service, and our branch network will continue to play a vital role in this but we cannot use our members’ money to keep a branch open that is economically unsustainable.”

Work was under way to find jobs for the four Wickersley staff at other branches, a spokeswoman said.

Four staff is branch have been informed, and the Society is working with them to find any suitable alternative roles at neighbouring branches.