The decision to cut vital banking services in a Suffolk town will "increase isolation" amongst elderly residents, a community leader has said. 

It has been revealed that Lloyds bank's mobile branch will no longer visit Clare from May 2024, a decision the banking giant said was due to customers choosing to bank online or using the app, rather than visiting the mobile branch.

Customers have been able to visit the mobile branch in Market Hill during set days and times for services including cashing in cheques, withdrawing cash, paying bills, sending money abroad or for general inquiries about their accounts. 

Chairman of Clare Town Council Rob Eyre said the decision was dissapointing as many elderly residents rely on the service. 

He said: "There is poor transport links in the town and many elderly people rely on local services including the mobile bank. 

"It disenfranchises them really because there is a modern world that they are not a part of and it will just increase isolation really."

Mr Eyre said it was a bad decision by Lloyds to cancel the mobile service to the town. 

He added: "There is no doubt that a business case was put together by Lloyds which says we don't get that many people coming in and it is not well used and we can do everything online so therefore we don't need to provide that service anymore.

"But to the elderly who do use that service and rely on cash transactions largely it will create a problem. 

"It feels like they are being even more cut off."

A spokesman for Lloyds said: “Customers have used our mobile branches much less over time and some locations now have as little as two customers using the service.

“We’ll be introducing more community bankers, alongside the other options customers already have for their banking, including the Post Office, online, our mobile apps, phone banking, video services and web chat.”