Angry protesters are planning to gather outside a Mid Wales bank branch which has had its opening hours slashed by bosses.

Dozens of campaigners, led by Montgomeryshire Assembly Member Mick Bates, will urge bankers to reconsider as they protest outside NatWest in Llanfair Caereinion on Monday – the first day of the reduced services.

The group has also been protesting to stop the bank reducing hours at branches in Llanidloes and Montgomery.

From Monday, the bank will open between 10am and 2pm in Llanfair Caereinion on a Tuesday and Friday, in Montgomery on a Wednesday and in Llanidloes on a Monday and Thursday.

The bank said the move was a response to falling customer demand but a petition signed by hundreds has been handed in and Mr Bates said he was urging the bank to reconsider.

He said: “The bank has been listening, but not hearing, our concerns.

Grateful

“I was grateful to meet with representatives of NatWest but beyond the agreement to amend the one day of service in Montgomery from Wednesday to Thursday, the bank failed to deliver on our concerns.

“Brian Hartzer, NatWest CEO, says most people ‘just want us to do the basic things well — shortening queues, extending opening hours, having a greater role in the community’ — yet here they are, reducing hours, shrinking the bank’s role in the community, directing staff to branches with queues because in Llanfair, Llanidloes and Montgomery there are rarely queues.

“Small rural towns are paying the price for headline grabbing service improvements in larger towns.”

Anne Owen, of Llanidloes, said she was concerned and disappointed: “It is important, as a community, we retain as many services as possible for residents and I ask that NatWest look again at the impending changes.”

Emma Hughes, spokeswoman for NatWest, said: “Any customers needing to visit a branch outside the revised hours can do so at Welshpool and Newtown.

“The Welshpool branch is also open on Saturdays. Customers also have 24-hour access to our telephone and online banking facilities.”

By Andrew Morris and Anwen Evans