Market Drayton is hit again as Santander set to close
Banking giant Santander is to close one of its Shropshire branches with the possible loss of four jobs.
The branch in Cheshire Street, Market Drayton, will close its doors in July.
The move means hundreds of customers will have their accounts transferred 15 miles away to the nearest branch in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Earlier this month the bank announced plans to close 139 agencies – branches branded Santander but run by other businesses.
The Market Drayton outlet is run by Chris Purcell who also owns and runs accountancy firm Purcell Investments in the same building.
He said he is now looking for a building society to move in and take on the staff.
Mr Purcell said: "Sadly this isn't good news. Around three-and-a-half years ago Santander moved into the building when Halifax decided to close their agencies.
"Now Santander has decided to do the same with 139 agencies being closed nationwide.
"The accountants will stay open and I am in talks with a couple of mutual building societies to keep the premises going. The four staff are currently seeking jobs as we speak. They will hopefully stay until we close and if I can find a building society to move inside and keep them on I will do so.
"I want to be able to still offer the people of Market Drayton a banking service where people can still walk into the town and pay in money and cheques. We seem to be losing services like that."
The closure comes just over a month after it was announced that a branch of the Co-operative Bank in Market Drayton's High Street is to close in April with the potential loss of five jobs.
Mark Whittle, chairman of Market Drayton Chamber of Trade, said: "This means we are going to lose two banks and I think it shocking.
"The Co-operative is supposed to be bank for the people and Santander has only just opened.
