St David’s looks set to lose its very last serving bank following this week’s announcement that Lloyd’s will be closing its branch in the city.

The Lloyds Banking Group has confirmed that the St David’s branch will close it’s doors for the final time in November.

The closure forms part of Lloyds Banking Group’s decision to close at least 144 sites in 2023 and an additional seven sites in 2024.

This week local MP Stephen Crabb requested an urgent meeting with Lloyds personnel when he questioned their senior management over their reasons for closing the last remaining bank in St Davids.

“During the meeting I was able to relay the concerns and the questions that have already been raised with me by a number of community councillors as well as customers who use the branch on a regular basis,” he said.

“Sadly, there seems little chance of getting Lloyds to cancel or postpone the closure which is scheduled for November 27.

"Much of our discussion was therefore focused on what alternative arrangements and services will be available for their customers and the wider community.”

Rather than bringing in a mobile bank branch similar to the one that is currently used in Fishguard, customers will be encouraged to use the Post Office to carry out most of their banking services.

A community banker is expected to be in St Davids on a weekly basis to handle queries from existing customers and to help them access other banking channels such as online or via telephone.

Letters to existing Lloyds customers are expected to be sent out over the coming weeks, and at this point, customers are encouraged to speak to Lloyds representatives at the bank directly about any issues they have.

“I remain very concerned about access to cash in St Davids, and I am already in contact with Link to discuss the option of a free-to-use cash machine being installed when the current Lloyds ATM is removed,” added Stephen Crabb.

“This closure is sadly a sign of the times with so many other banking channels being used regularly, and conveniently, by customers. But nonetheless it is another empty high street premises whose fate is yet to be determined.”

Lloyds Banking Group, which includes Halifax, Lloyds Bank and the Bank of Scotland, was responsible for the highest number of bank closures in 2022, which totalled 186.This was closely followed by Barclays, which closed 184 sites.

The Group has stated that over 20 million of their customers regularly use online banking while 17.3 million use mobile banking.

As digital banking has grown, branch visits have subsequently fallen with all sites facing closure having decreased by an average of 55 per cent in the last five years.

It is udnerstood that bank staff who are currently employed at the branches facing closure  be offered roles at alternative branches.