LLOYDS Bank has agreed to operate a mobile service in Fairford from April, after its town branch closed down, while concerns over loss of cashpoint continue.

The banking group closed its permanent branch on November 8, including its cashpoint, leaving the town without a High Street bank.

However, following discussions with the town council, Lloyds will offer a mobile service in the Market Place, on Mondays (1pm-2.15pm), Wednesdays (9.30am-11am) and Fridays (9.30am-11.15am).

Lloyds is also closing its nearby Highworth branch on April 9 – with the two towns to share the new service.

The banking group is set to launch a number of mobile branches to help customers in more rural communities across the country.

Customers will be able to use the mobile branch to make deposits, withdraw cash and pay bills.

However, residents are still unhappy about the loss of the cashpoint which closed along with the branch.

The issue has come to the fore after a recent ram-raid on the Londis and Shell garage on London Road, which saw the town’s only 24-hour cashpoint destroyed.

A spokeswoman for the town council confirmed discussions are ongoing with Lloyds.

Fairford resident Mike Meakin conducted a survey of his own last month in the Market Place to get opinions on the closure and the cashpoint.

“Just before Christmas I conducted my own survey of Market Place users of their opinions on the closure,” he said.

“I invited passers-by to voice and write their comments on a poster. Whilst I was pinning the poster up on the board, people were vociferously expressing opinions.

“Throughout the morning I recorded a steady stream of unhappy customers.”

A Lloyds Bank spokeswoman said: “We follow the Access to Banking Protocol when closing any branch. We take into account several factors including customer usage and the availability of nearby banking alternatives.

“We are introducing a new mobile branch service to ensure there is a continuity of branch banking services available.”