Barclays has announced that its Penarth branch will close permanently at noon on 27 August.

Some customers have expressed their frustration at the decision.

Socially distanced queues outside the 2 Windsor Road branch have become a common lockdown sight.

So why is this seemingly busy bank closing its doors?

What do Barclays say?

In their 'branch closure feedback' leaflet, Barclays offer the following explanation:

• The number of counter transactions has gone down in the previous 24 months, and additionally 84% of our branch customers also use other ways to do their banking such as online and by telephone

• Customers using other ways to do their banking has increased by 11% since 2015

• In the past 12 months, 28% of this branch's customers have been using nearby branches

• We've identified that only 84 customers use this branch exclusively

for their banking

What about their customers?

For many of these 84 customers, the closure comes as a major inconvenience.

Speaking to Nub News while queuing in the rain this morning, branch customer Mike (who preferred to keep his surname anonymous) said:

"I think it's absolutely disgraceful. I've only just read it now.

"Penarth as well has quite a lot of older people and a lot of people don't use internet services, and the branch always seems busy.

"Why they're closing it, I have no idea."

Others online have referred to the decision as "shameful".

This comes almost two years after the controversial closure of Santander in May 2019.