Lloyds Closure Leaves Swansea Valley Without a Single Bank

Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe David Chadwick has slammed Lloyds for closing more banks that will impact his constituents.

Lloyds today announced it was closing 130 more branches. The closures include both Leominster and Ludlow in South Shropshire, meaning residents in Knighton and Presteigne will now need to travel all the way to Hereford or Newtown to access in-person banking.

Presteigne’s own Lloyds Branch is scheduled to close in March following an announcement last summer.

In the south of the constituency, Lloyds is shutting in Pontardawe Branch. This means the entire Swansea Valley, home to over 25,000 people won’t have a single bank after Lloyds previously pulled out of Ystradgynlais.

Lloyds had used the presence of the bank in Pontardawe to justify previous closures.

David Chadwick MP and the Liberal Democrats are calling on Lloyds to rethink its decision to close its Pontardawe branch and have accused the Labour Government of failing to reign in the big banks and cooperate greed.

With a population of over 7,000, Pontardawe serves as a key hub for surrounding rural communities. Many residents, particularly the elderly and digitally excluded, rely on in-person banking. The closure follows a wider trend of banks withdrawing from rural areas, forcing customers to travel long distances for basic services.

Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe David Chadwick said:

“This is a disgraceful decision from Lloyds. The entire Swansea Valley will now be left without a bank. That is a huge blow to the over 25,000 people living in the area.

“High street banks are treating their customers appallingly despite making billions of pounds in profit and Labour are failing to reign in the big banks and cooperate greed.

“Banks claim to support inclusion, yet they ignore those who need in-person services the most. They have a duty to serve their communities, not just their shareholders.

“I have already submitted an application to LINK for a banking hub in Pontardawe, alongside my previous application for Ystradgynlais. These hubs would provide essential cash and banking services to residents and businesses affected by the closures.”

ENDS