Barclays Bank in the market place pulled its shutters down today (August 23) the third major bank after HSBC and Natwest to close its branch in the town this year.

The bank says it has more customers than ever on line, and so does not need a physical branch, but it has been met with horror by locals who say they have nowhere to bank cash now, especially galling for a so-called market town.

It is the latest in a steady stream of bank branch closures, but for Barclays customers another blow as they have seen local branch after local branch shut down.

They said: " I used to use Ilminster, then you closed it so I used Chard, you closed that one so I started using Street. Finally after that closed I used Frome. Now guess what." The only Barclays' banks now are in Yeovil, over 30 miles and nearly an hour's drive away, or in Taunton.

Barclays announced plans to shut at least 165 of its bank branches throughout 2023 and 2024 – more than a third of its entire UK network – after announcing a further nine branch closures just today, including one in Cirencester and two in London. It has said it will park a bus in the Cheese & Grain car park in Frome to help customers, but that will not accept any over the counter services, such as accepting cash.

There is a campaign to try and create a banking hub in Frome, with space possibly shared by several banks, but, to date, that has not come to anything. The project is called Prosper Frome and they are also hoping to establish a 'change club' for businesses to pay in and obtain change.