Ramsey Commissioners are asking banking group HSBC to reverse its decision to close its branch in the town.

Commissioner Leonard Singer says shutting the Ramsey branch, based in St Paul’s Square, will make banking difficult for those in the north as all accounts will be moved to Douglas.

He said: ‘The branch is used by many people, senior citizens, businesses, all sorts of people in Ramsey and the north, and they’re going to find it extremely difficult, if not impractical, to use the Douglas branch.

‘I understand the reason they’ve given is they’ve got less business due to the pandemic. That’s a very poor excuse because it’s been there all that time and people actually rely on that bank.

‘The St Paul’s Square branch has been open for all the 34 years that I’ve been in the island.

‘If this goes ahead, the Isle of Man will have only one branch of HSBC and it’s going to be a big blow to the public.

‘HSBC is talking about more people moving to digital banking but there’s lots of older people, particularly in the north, who don’t have digital banking. The question is, what are they going to do?’

In its letter sent to customers, head of distribution for HSBC Channel Islands and Isle of Man Cameron Senior says: ‘We know from our review that the majority of customers have a preference to do much of their day-to-day banking digitally.’

The bank also says that as part of its ‘commitment to the Isle of Man’ it had chosen to review its services.

‘It’s hardly a commitment to say “we’re reviewing it” and then to close it,’ the commissioner said.

‘The banks in Ramsey not only cater to those in Ramsey but also the whole of the north of the island.

‘If you live out in Andreas for example, how are you expected to go down to Douglas to deposit money?

‘It’s going to be impossible for many elderly people to do that.

‘It’s not acceptable to be expected to go to Douglas.’

As a result, Mr Singer called on Ramsey Commissioners at a meeting on Wednesday to express ‘extreme concern’ at the ‘detrimental effect’ this will have on the people and businesses in the town and in the island.

He asked that the commissioners to ask HSBC to ‘reverse the decision’.

Mr Singer added: ‘It was accepted by the commissioners.

‘We sent a copy to the chief minister and our MHKs asking them to support it.

‘We’re just asking HSBC to look at it again because it’s going to create a big hole in banking services. To say there’s other banks in the town is not the point as, it’s so difficult nowadays to open an account.

‘Imagine what it’ll be like for a senior citizen who have been with Ramsey’s HSBC for so many years to try and open another bank account. It’s almost impossible.’

A total of 114 branches are being cut across HSBC’s network this year, however Jersey’s four branches and the three in Guernsey have been unaffected by closures.