Angry townspeople have lost their campaign to save their last remaining bank.

Despite opposition from the town council and business leaders, Barclays has announced it will close its branch in Newent on November 10.

The blow comes just a year after Lloyds shut its Newent branch.

Small businesses will be especially hard hit and forced to make a round trip of between 14 and 20 miles to banks in Ledbury, Ross-on-Wye or Gloucester.

Rob Wadley, who is retired and lives in Newent, told Punchline: "Barclays say we can use the post office instead but that is miniscule and there are already queues.

"The closure of the bank will affect footfall in the town and businesses are up in arms about it."

Objectors to the closure point out that with a significant increase in housing over the last few years the population of Newent has grown. Also Newent has an ageing population, which either does not wish to use or does not have the ability to use online banking.

In a letter to account holders Barclays said: "The decision to close a branch is never an easy one. However we are finding that fewer customers are using the branch to do their everyday banking."

The bank argues that more and more people are using online or telephone banking.

But Punchline says that is cold comfort for the many people and small businesses in Newent who rely on the services of the bank branch.