THE main shopping area of Kemp Town in Brighton will be left without a bank after Abbey National announced it was closing its local branch.

Residents and shopkeepers who have been campaigning for better facilities in the area and have been successful in getting funding for regeneration said the

closure was a major blow.

Tom Mannouch, of the St James's Street Traders' Association and licensee of the Thresher off-licence, said the closure could not have come at a worse time.

He said: "When NatWest closed its branch in Kemp Town we all noticed a difference. This will come as a another blow just when we are about to see the results of the rejuvenation.

"I am astounded they

are closing it. It is always busy.

"You often have to wait in a queue. It is bitter blow to this area as there are a lot of elderly people who like the friendly counter service.

"It will mean they will have to go to Western Road or London Road for some services.

"I think they will lose many

customers who have been with the bank for years."

Some of the staff at the branch were with Abbey National when it was a building society.

Many children and their parents were encouraged to open savings accounts at the branch before the firm became a bank.

Abbey National said the branch would close in one month, with the seven staff employed moving to other branches. The two hole-in-the-wall cash machines on the site will remain.

Mike Young, of Abbey National's head office, said: "We are closing the branch because the lease is up. It is a small branch and research shows our customers prefer the facilities at larger branches.

Branches

"There are two larger branches in Brighton in Western Road and London Road within half a mile of the St James's Street branch.

"We are are discussing with customers which branches they want to transfer their accounts to.

"We will be leaving the cash machines on the site. Customers can pay in and withdraw money at these machines, so they will not be denied facilities for managing their accounts."

The closure follows a decision by Barclays Bank to close many of its branches in rural parts of Sussex.

The Abbey National has been the subject of recent speculation that it might be ripe for a takeover.

The bank has been looking to make savings, but has not announced a wholesale closure of branches.

The Kemp Town closure means there will be no banks in St James's Street for the first time in fifty years.

Tom Mannouch said he would be urging all fellow traders to write to the head office of Abbey National to ask the bank to think again about the closure.

He said: "My children have accounts at the branch and I certainly don't want them crossing busy roads to get to another branch.

"I know several elderly people who do not like cash machines feel the same."

The area close to the bank

is currently being partially pedestrianised as part of a

rejuvenation scheme to improve the part of Kemp Town close to the Palace Pier and the Old Steine.

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