BARCLAYS has announced it is shutting its Blackheath branch.

The branch on Birmingham Road is one of 15 branch closures.

It will close its doors on April 21.

Founder and chief executive of My Community Finance, Tobias Gruber, said: “It’s becoming increasingly common for banks to close their high street branches as more customers shift to online and digital banking methods.

“In the case of Barclays, the closure of these branches will result in cost savings for the bank, so I hope they choose to re-invest in improving their digital and telephone banking services for their loyal customers, as well as providing more ‘pop-up’ banks and support vans for their rural customers who may not have access to the internet.

“If you’re a Barclays customer and need branch access and don’t have alternative services nearby, you might want to consider switching to a bank with a physical branch in your area – although there are no guarantees that they will remain open for long.”