RESIDENTS have been left upset and disappointed following the news that the last banks in two Cumbrian villages are set to close.

The Barclays branches in Milnthorpe and Coniston are set to close on November 30 and December 7, respectively.

Peter Capasso, chair of Milnthorpe Parish Council said that it was 'very sad' and a 'sign of the times' with the increased use of online banking.

"I feel sorry for those businesses that use cash," he said, adding that the village would also be losing the Barclays cash machine. "Chip shops and market traders - what do they do without it?

"Not everybody is geared up on the internet. Some of the elderly are still struggling with using it."

He added that Carnforth's branch would be the most convenient location for residents to travel to following the closure.

South Lakeland District Councillor for Coniston Anne Hall said that the branch offered a personal touch that online banking was unable to.

"I know lots of people really do not understand their finances and they just rely on Joyce [bank worker]," Cllr Hall said. "She goes above and beyond the call of duty.

"People are extremely upset even though at the bottom of our hearts we recognised it would happen. The bank has been regularly used by people from Langdale, Hawkshead, Broughton. Various people came to this bank because it was accessible so they are all going to find it extremely difficult."

Cllr Hall said that residents who wanted to do their banking in a physical branch would have to travel to Ulverston or Windermere, which she said would take 'more than half a day'.

Coniston does still have a Post Office, which Cllr Hall said is able to deal with a 'certain amount' of banking.

"It's having the personal advice that a lot of people need," she said. "And we have always had somebody there to go and ask."

Kay Eccles, community banking director for Barclays in Cumbria and North Lancashire said: “The way customers undertake their banking is changing as people increasingly use online, telephone and mobile devices. At Barclays in Milnthorpe and Coniston, our records show a low and falling level of transactions in recent years, which is why we have taken the difficult decision to close them.

"We hope the availability of our nearest branches in Kendal and Windermere plus access to services at the local Post Offices, along with our range of digital channels will help to ease the transition for our customers. We will be working closely with the local community to support our personal and business customers over the coming weeks.”