Exmouth's Halifax bank is to close this August.

The company has announced that the branch in the Magnolia Centre will shut on August 7.

Halifax said many customers are now banking online or using the phone instead of visiting the branch. Its figures show a 56 per cent fall in transactions over the counter or using the branch's deposit machine between 2018 and 2023, and a 47 per cent fall in cash machine transactions during the same period.

After the branch closes a Community Banker will visit Exmouth regularly to help with face-to-face banking matters. Full details of these visits will be announced nearer the time of the closure.

The MP for East Devon, Simon Jupp, said he was 'disappointed' to hear about the closure and has written to Halifax to express his concerns. 

He said: "Halifax has pointed to Exeter as its nearest available branch. That’s a good 30 minute journey away and is fairly unrealistic for many customers to do regularly. Halifax have committed to providing a Community Banker in Exmouth after the branch closes, with set hours in a space in the local area. But this is a poor substitute for a bank branch.

"Exmouth is the largest town in Devon, and one in five people in Exmouth are aged over 65 - an age group that data shows tend to use a bank branch more often.

"As Exmouth residents will know, Halifax's closure will leave three bank branches in the town: Santander and Nationwide on Rolle Street, and TSB on the Strand. 

"Recently, I co-signed a letter from MPs to the Financial Conduct Authority to unlock more banking hubs. Sidmouth's banking hub is set to open soon when the last bank in town closes. I will continue to push for more banking hubs in other towns in East Devon where banks have been closing or have disappeared, including Exmouth. 

"If you are a Halifax customer and you have concerns about the planned closure of their Exmouth branch, please let me know at simon.jupp.mp@parliament.uk. I understand staff who work in the branch will be offered the chance to move to a role at another branch or another part of our business. If you are a staff member with any concerns you can also contact me in confidence."