A LAST-DITCH appeal to NatWest not to close its Haslemere branch by MP Jeremy Hunt has fallen on deaf ears.

The announcement in December by RBS it was closing the High Street branch, leaves the town with just two banks – Lloyds and Santander.

To add to the woes, the closure of the NatWest also means Haslemere will be left with just one cash machine, as it will also lose the NatWest ATM in June, and the cash point at the railway station was destroyed in a ram raid before Christmas.

South West Surrey’s Tory MP wrote to RBS chief executive Les Mathieson, but received a reply from RBS managing director Jane Howard.

Afterwards Mr Hunt said: “I was disappointed to read that RBS will not be reviewing their decision to close the branch and ATM.

“However, I do acknowledge their proactive support for their vulnerable, elderly and disabled customers as well as current, regular branch users.

“The bank will also be introducing a mobile banking branch service to Haslemere before the current one closes to give customers a chance to see how it works and they will also have a community banker to provide personal assistance and support to customers including home visits if necessary.

“It is very sad, but it looks like they will not budge on this.

“I will be arranging a meeting with area manager Amit Samra in the near future to further look at what else can be done.”

Concerned that Haslemere could be left with “no cash in the town” when the NatWest cash machine goes, mayor Malcolm Carter appealed to Treasury Committee chairman Nicky Morgan for help.

The Tory MP has warned access to cash “must not suffer” amid fears planned changes to cash machine networks will lead to ‘ATM deserts’ across the UK.

Mr Carter wrote: “Given your interest in the subject, I thought I would share with you the recent experience of Haslemere in Surrey, a town with a population of around 10,000 which is very likely to become one of the ‘ATM deserts’.

“Following on from the recent closure of Barclays and HSBC banks, NatWest has given notice that it also is quitting our town.

“The ATM machines for all three banks will be lost, leaving only Lloyds, for how long we don’t know, available in the town centre.

“Our town has a significant number of residents who need, for a variety of reasons, to access cash and are unable or unwilling to use internet or mobile banking. Once closed, the nearest NatWest, Barclays or HSBC branch will be roughly 11 miles away.

“Since NatWest has announced its intention to close its Haslemere branch, town councillors and staff have heard from a number of very concerned residents who will be left in an impossible position should our last town centre cashpoint close.

“It is telling that after the closure of the HSBC cashpoint, the NatWest cashpoint kept running out of cash, and now only dispenses £20 notes in an attempt to keep up with demand. Clearly there is a requirement for cash in the town.”

The reduced cash point provision in Haslemere is also affecting retailers, with a significant increase in the number of its customers asking town supermarkets for ‘cash back’ with purchases.

Mr Carter has called for the Payment Systems Regulator to review the withdrawal of ATMs from communities.

Keen to avert the town’s threatened ‘cash point desert’, the Chamber of Commerce launched an appeal this week for businesses interested in hosting a cash point to come forward.

At last week’s town council meeting, Mr Carter proposed one could be set up in the High Street car park if there were no takers.