CAMPAIGNERS have scored a minor victory in trying to keep the last bank in Blaenavon open.

The banking giant HSBC has confirmed to local politicians, that following their joint meeting with Laura Brown, the corporation's regional service manager that the town's branch in Lion Street would close on May 11 - but that the ATM cash point machine would remain.

Councillor Alan Jones explained, "It seems that the closure of the bank is a corporate decision and it's very unlikely that this decision will be overturned.

"However, we have been promised that providing the scheme gets planning permission, that the bank would install a new opening onto the extension where the ATM is located, enabling the machine to be a stand alone facility that would remain in the town.

"We were told that only 35 percent of the town's population of 6,000 people use the bank, so we are looking at alternative options for depositing money into our accounts.

"Having to do this is a sad state of affairs when a town of this size should have a bank to serve the people of the Blaenavon. The town of Usk, with a population of just over 2,000 people, has three high street banks. Why can't we have just one?

"I am also chairman of Blaenavon Rugby Club and we hold three accounts with the HSBC. These will be closed and new ones opened using accounts that money can be deposited at the local Post Office.

"Closing the bank is just another nail in the coffin for Blaenavon - but at least we have the promise that the ATM will remain - it's something we didn't have at the public meeting."

At Thursday's public meeting, hosted by Blaenavon Town Council, at the Workingmen's Hall, mayor Councillor Stuart Evans delayed the start of the discussion because two of the roads leading into the town had become impassable, following a fall of snow which covering the area, and a six car pile up which blocked the Brynmawr road.

Councillor Evans said: "It's situations like this when we witness the weather cutting the town off from the outside world. Maintaining a bank is essential in the community if we cannot get out for days because of snow."

In a statement read out to the audience, Pete Muscat HSBC's regional manager said: "In respect of the reasons behind the banking group's decision to close the Blaenavon branch, because it was a poor performing branch and not achieving the level of business to make it sustainable.

"The branch has been in the bottom 100 performing branches for the last few years. We have looked at the branch's opening hours to see if this can improve the situation as footfall at the Blaenavon branch has decreased over recent years."

In a joint statement Paul Murphy MP and Lynne Neagal AM said that Blaenavon people had been loyal to HSBC for decades and were asking the banking giant to reconsider their decision or enter into discussion with other businesses and share their facilities.

The meeting also heard from the Campaign for Community Banking Services who said that banking giants leaving towns and villages across the UK was becoming a regular occurrence.

Bob Wellington, the leader of Torfaen County Council said: "Blaenavon is one of the few World Heritage Sites in the UK and there are many potential benefits of having a bank in town.

"No doubt that the organisation has has clear business reasons for closing it, but I would ask for it to be retained."

The audience heard from a volunteer at the town's church who said that she paid the weekly collection into the bank, but that she would be reluctant to travel on a bus with a bag of heavy coins, at an expense of £6 return bus fare, just to pay the money into a bank.

She added that this decision would affect the church's ability to attract volunteers to help them and the church would have to rely heavily on the more affluent car drivers as travelling on public transport was a non-starter because of the security issues.

Ashley Brown said: "It's our human right to be able to obtain our money. Why can towns like Usk, with a much smaller population than Blaenavon still have a number of banks, yet we are faced with the prospect of none."

Freda Young said that the decision to reduce the amount of banking hours prevented her from using the bank because it was not open in the afternoons when she in the town.

Alexi Gaye pointed out that in Scotland, remote communities had a mobile bank come into town a couple of times a week, and that this is a popular and successful scheme that is well used.

Sally Davies said: "We do need people to spend money in our town. Not having a bank means that people are forced out of town to do their banking and they will spend their money elsewhere."

The audience heard that most banking organisations had a link with the Post Office, except for most HSBC accounts and Santander.

Martin Styles suggested a visible protest march that would capture the media's attention.

Alan Parry responded: "Marches have not done us any good in the past. We've campaigned against the closure of the hospital, and lost; the swimming pool, and lost and the leisure centre, that closed too."

Chris Price agreed that a holding a demonstration march was fruitless because the closure of the bank was already a forgone conclusion.

He added: "The people in the bank's hierarchy don't care about their customers and therefore we should switch our accounts so that we can use the post office to do our banking. And by doing this it should guarantee the future of this facility - as we can least afford to lose anything else."

Lynne Tanner said: "Should we really just roll over and let this happen, we can at least be a thorn in their side."

Former police officer Derek O'Connell said: "I can see inherent dangers for the elderly when picking up their pension. I predict that unscrupulous scrotes will follow them and subject them to a mugging attack."

Sue Driscoll from Busy Bees said that it was not just the elderly at risk as many organisations will now choose to hoard their cash until they can make the trip to the bank, leaving their homes or business premises at risk of being burgled.

MP Paul Murphy said that he intends having the issue debated in the House of Commons, initially to delay the bank's impending closure so as to give account holders time to make alternative banking arrangements.

At the time of going to press members of Blaenavon Town Council and local traders were meeting with representatives of HSBC.