LLOYDS Bank has announced it will close its Chagford and Moretonhampstead branches — but a petition is underway to halt the closures.

The bank has sent out letters to customers stating that the Chagford branch would close on May 24 and the Moretonhampstead branch would close the following day.

The bank has said that customers could continue to bank with Lloyds either by using the Okehampton or Bovey Tracey branches or at the Post Office.

A petition has been started in the communities to protest the closure of the bank.

In a statement, a Lloyds Bank spokesperson said: ‘The Chagford and Moretonhampstead branches will close in May 2017. We have made the difficult decision to close these branches because of the changing way customers choose to bank with us.

‘The majority of customers now regularly use alternative branches or use other ways to bank such as online and telephone banking to complete their banking needs. There are alternative branches available at Okehampton and Bovey Tracey and the local post office is a short walk away where customers can manage their day-to-day banking needs.

‘We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause and have informed customers of the closest alternative branches.

‘In addition, we are investing in a new fleet of mobile branches for Lloyds Bank customers in some of our more rural communities, alongside other ways to access banking locally.

‘One of these mobile branches will visit the Chagford and Moretonhampstead areas. The new service will be in place prior to the branch closing to ensure customers become familiar with the service.’

The spokesperson said that the Chagford branch only had 12 regular weekly personal and business customers, with Moretonhampstead only having 14. Seventy-one per cent of the bank’s personal customers in Chagford and 68% in Moretonhampstead use other branches and other ways to bank such as online and telephone banking while 88% of Lloyd’s personal customers in Chagford and 86% in Moretonhampstead already use other branches, such as the one in Okehampton.

Customers from both branches will have their accounts realigned to Okehampton. There should be no other impact to the way customers manage their accounts.

A mobile bank will be available in both area, where they will stop for a minimum of one hour, with total servicing hours depending on anticipated local demand. The mobile branches will be in situ prior to the branches closing to ensure customers get used to the new service.