Lloyds Bank is to end its mobile branch visits to Budleigh Salterton in May next year.

The fortnightly visits to Lower Station Road will cease after Tuesday, May 21.

A Community Banker will be available at a location yet to be announced.

Lloyds said the decision to end the mobile banking service was based on a ‘detailed impact analysis’ taking into account the number of people using the service and the availability of alternative banking services (the Post Office and the cashpoint at the Co-op).

The move has been criticised by the MP for Tiverton & Honiton, Richard Foord, who has campaigned against the loss of banking services in his constituency.

He said: “The decision by Lloyds to scrap their mobile branch service from May next year is deeply concerning. People here in our corner of Devon already face huge challenges to access in-person banking, and this will just make things worse.

“I am particularly concerned about the impact this will have on older people, who make up roughly half of those who currently use this service. We risk seeing them being left in banking isolation, with their closest branch being miles away and hard to get to.

“So many people benefit from being able to access in-person banking services. It offers people greater independence and security, allowing them to be able to manage their money and discuss things with trained professionals, who help to answer customers’ questions.

“In recent years, too many banks have been shutting their branches and withdrawing from our communities here in rural Devon. We need to ensure that any change to these vital services is subject to a full public consultation, including looking at ways to keep them here on the ground.

“But it’s clear that this alone is not enough to stop the decline. What we need now is a renewed focus on Community Banking Hubs, to enable local people to access a full range of banking services – regardless of who they bank with – under one roof.

“We’ve seen the success these projects can have, and it was great to open the new Hub in Axminster last week. We need to see similar progress on the proposed Hub for Sidmouth, and other places in East Devon that no longer have a local bank branch.”