Customers were left unable to access their high street bank in Bury St Edmunds after a branch was closed for precautionary “deep cleaning”.

On March 17, HSBC customer Trevor Farrell tried to visit his ocal bank branch in Abbeygate Street, only to find it had been closed.

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He also saw an older couple “effectively turned away” from the branch due to the closure, despite having made the journey to the bank from a village outside Bury St Edmunds.

Mr Farrell said: “Not every one, particularly the elderly, use online banking, how are they going to manage?”

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According to Mr Farrell, a sign on the door of the bank told customers the branch would not reopen until March 31.

An HSBC UK spokesman said: “As a precautionary measure we have a staff member at the Bury St Edmunds branch who has self-isolated and we are deep-cleaning the premises. Customers can continue to use our mobile, online, video and telephone banking services.”

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The spokesman added they were unable to confirm when the branch would reopen.