Barclays Bank is pulling out of the troubled Laindon Centre, it was revealed today.

Barclays, which has been in the centre since the early 1970s, will close on April 7. Its cash machine will also go, leaving just one machine at Lloyds Bank to serve the whole of the centre.

Abbey National pulled out three years ago.

Barclays announced in November that it planned to close 200 branches countrywide as part of a major shake-up.

A spokesman, said: "We will be writing to our customers at the end of the week and had hoped to tell them ourselves."

The branch's three members of staff will be either transferred or offered a redundancy package.

Councillor Sandra Hillier (Con, Langdon Hills) said the closure was a great loss for the centre and a real set back in improvement plans.

She added: "This is going to inconvenience a lot of people."

Councillor Bob Sears (Lab, Langdon Hills) said: "It's another nail in the coffin of the centre. It's getting like a ghost town."

Councillor Nigel Smith (Lab, Lee Chapel North) said: "This is another case where banks have made a lot of money out of communities and then simply pulled the plug.

"It's another knock to the centre but I'm optimistic improvements will continue to be made, but a lot of it is down to the centre's owners."

It is a different story for Fish 'n'Chick'n, which has confirmed its commitment to the centre with news of a major £50,000 refurbishment.

It will close on March 5 while the work is carried out and re-open on March 27 with a celebratory half-price special.

The chain's Glynis Trundle said: "When we've carried out refurbishments in other areas, it's lifted the enthusiasm of the other shopkeepers.

"It certainly brings in more customers."

Laindon Traders' Association has already warned it may withold rent in protest at poor security which allows youths to run riot and cause damage costing thousands of pounds.

Pulling out - Barclays to leave Laindon Centre

Southchurch: Jobs fear as Barclays shuts branch

Barclays bank customers were today due to receive letters telling them the Southchurch branch was closing on Friday April 7 due to a massive slump in the numbers of customers using it.

Staff at Southchurch Road, Southend will be offered jobs at nearby branches where possible or they can opt for voluntary redundancies. Enforced job losses cannot be ruled out.

A spokesman said today: "We are looking at our branches across the country and how they are being used. There are places where customers are reviewing the way they bank and are instead using internet services, telephone banking or cash machines.

"Five years ago, 56 per cent of our customers used the bank for their day-to-day transactions. That figure has now dropped to 36 per cent. Around 38 per cent of our customers use their branch once a month. Nobody will be made redundant at the moment but we cannot rule it out in the future."

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