COTSWOLD MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has stepped up his support to save Fairford’s last remaining High Street bank by ‘pressing’ for a public meeting with Lloyds Bank.

Mr Clifton-Brown expects to get a decision regarding the meeting next week, according to a spokesman for the MP.

“Geoffrey is keen to have a public meeting, which he would chair, and we’re still pressing for that,” the spokesman told the Standard.

The banking group announced news of the intended closure in August, with the Fairford branch set to cease operating from November 7.

And with time running out, Lloyds have confirmed they are still ‘engaging with the MP’ over residents’ concerns, while a meeting is also taking place between representatives from the town council and the bank today at the Cirencester branch.

The bank cited a fall in use of the branch as the main reason for the closure, claiming less than 30 customers are using the service per week.

However, questions regarding the accuracy of the figures relating to the drop in usage have been raised, while it has also been revealed that Lloyds’ lease for the building runs out in January.

The bank has been further criticised for the lack of notice given for the closure, with customers faced with the prospect of switching to nearby branches in either Cirencester and Cricklade, as well as Lloyds’ refusal to release its full pre-closure impact assessment until after the closure.

Speaking at a full town council meeting on October 11, Cllr Chris Roberts said: “We feel there are stalling tactics involved and they're trying to eek matters out until the very last minute so that we can't do anything.”

Referring to the potential for a public meeting, she said: “I think there's good and bad in that, in that it may raise people's hopes unnecessarily but, on the other hand, it gives people chance to voice their concerns.

“It also allows the spokesperson from Lloyds to hear how people feel about losing their bank.”

She went on to say: “I know banks are being closed across the country but Lloyds is the only bank in Fairford. We're losing our ATM as well.

“There's a growing population, it's not going to encourage other businesses into the town if we lose the bank.

“And we need more businesses in the town for the growing population.

“We want these questions answered, and they are not being done so at the moment,” she added.

A Lloyds Bank spokesman said: “We are committed to supporting the Access to Banking Protocol and we worked closely with the BBA on its development.

“In Fairford, we have taken the difficult decision to close as customers are using the branch less often.

“We have conducted a full pre-closure impact assessment and before the branch closes we will publish a summary of this, which includes a summary of our community engagement.”

Also speaking at the council meeting, Mayor Jennie Sanford said she was in contact with Prime Minister Teresa May regarding the matter, while also confirming that Fairford Post Office is considering having an ATM installed.

However, Roz Capps, deputy town clerk, raised concerns over the feasibility of having the Post Office replace the bank’s services.

She said: "You can do personal banking at the Post Office, what you can't do, if you're a business customer with Lloyds, is do business banking.”

Cllr Roberts added that the manager of Londis ‘has offered to have an external ATM put into the building, which will be 24/7’, which would need planning consent from Cotswold District Council.

A retrospective planning application for an ATM at the town’s Shell garage has also be submitted.

Richard Harrison also questioned how the bank closure would affect the emerging Local Plan.

He said: “The Local Plan refers to having a bank and all these other facilities, which will have disappeared by the time we get there.

“It's not just the bank, it's a number of things like this.”