NatWest has today announced it will be closing its branch in Hawkinge later this year.

The branch, which is open seven hours a week on Mondays and Thursdays between 9am and 12.30pm, will close on August 14.

But there will not be any job losses, the bank confirmed.

A decline in customers using the branch is being touted as the main reason for deciding to close it.

Customers will be able to use facilities at the Post Office to withdraw cash, check balances and pay bills free of charge the bank says after reaching an agreement earlier this year.

They will also be able to deposit both cash and cheques in any of the Post Office’s 11,500 branches across the UK.

The bank said the decline in the branch's use coincided with more people using mobile, online and telephone banking.

"There won't be any staff impact and they will be redeployed to other branches in the area." NatWest spokesman Debbie Phillips

NatWest spokesman Debbie Phillips said: "We’ve advised staff and we’re writing to our customers to make them aware of the closure and the different ways they can still bank with us.

"If customers are concerned about how this will impact their banking, they can go into the branch where staff will be happy to discuss the alternative options available.

"There won't be any staff impact and they will be redeployed to other branches in the area.

"Over our whole branch network there has been a 30% drop in branch transactions since 2010 as people do their banking when and where it is convenient for them."

NatWest says it is investing £750m into its system in the next three years to improve customer service including branch refurbishments, investment in digital banking and upgrading cash machines.

It also says that after striking an agreement with the Post Office, 90% of its customers are within a mile of somewhere to carry out their everyday banking.