A town centre is to lose yet another bank – albeit temporarily.

The HSBC branch in Dartford High Street shut its doors on Friday (March 8) and will not reopen until later this month.

It’s been closed for a two-week makeover which will see the shop undergo a refresh including new signage and the installation of newer cash machines.

HSBC UK’s local director Saveena Mills-Baptiste said: “We have been talking to customers about the temporary closure for the last month, and while we are having the work done people can continue to use their nearest Post Office for day to day transactions, plus mobile and online banking is available 24/7 in addition to being able to call our contact centre.

“Customers can find the best number on the back of their debit or credit card.”

The Dartford branc is expected to reopen at 9.30am next Friday (March 22).

The nearest branch for customers is HSBC Orpington and HSBC Bromley High Street for a counter service.

In recent months high streets have seen a steady rise in the number of bank branches closing permanently with Lloyds announcing the closure of 45 branches across its network last November amid the ongoing shift away from high street banking.

This included five sites in Kent.

In total, the group said it was closing 22 Halifax branches, 19 Lloyds branches and four Bank of Scotland branches, including the Halifax in Dartford High Street on March 18.

The announcement came just a week after the NatWest Group said it planned to shut another 19 branches at the start of this year.

Barclays customers are also seeing their local branches disappearing with the one in Bluewater closing on April 26, and its New Road branch in Gravesend shutting on May 3.