THE Banking Ombudsman may be asked to intervene in the closure of the HSBC branch in Blaenavon.

Blaenavon town councillor Lewis Evans has been disappointed with how HSBC has handled the closure.

Town councillors took it upon themselves to notify residents personally as many people read about the closure for the first time in the media.

HSBC representatives turned down the offer of attending the public meeting and held separate meetings with groups as opposed to one meeting.

Cllr Evans said: “All parties wanted one meeting with all elected representatives present, but this was declined by HSBC.

“Instead, town councillors, traders and Lynne Neagle AM, MP Paul Murphy and ourselves met in groups.”

Cllr Evans is not satisfied with the promise over the future of the ATM or with other assurances regarding contacting customers and providing individual support for future banking needs. He said: “I have not given up the fight. I wrote to the regional manager and got the usual spiel in regard to the bank’s closure.

“I have now written to the chief executive outlining why the branch should remain open, but I expect I will get a similar response.”

Cllr Evans said that if this is the case then he will take it to the Banking Ombudsman Office.

He added: “We are all doing what we can to secure adequate banking facilities for people living in and around Blaenavon.”

The HSBC branch is set to close on May 11 at 12.30pm.

The bank said they could not find a commercially viable route to justify keeping the branch open.

The campaign to save the bank caused a stir in the town and Blaenavon Town Council handed over a petition of more than 1,200 signatures to the bank.