A high street has lost another bank leaving people with limited choice as to where they can access their cash.

Lloyds Bank waved goodbye to customers for the final time in Strood when the High Street branch opened for the final time yesterday (April 4).

The company announced in December the decision was made after a fall in visits.

NatWest also shut in Strood on March 6.

Strood’s Barclays shut in 2021, with HSBC permanently closing in 2022.

Now, there is just Nationwide Building Society and the Post Office where people can access banking and savings services.

Lloyds blamed the decision on the huge increase in online and mobile banking, plus the decline of customers using a counter service.

The Strood Community Shop in the High Street is just one of the places impacted by the latest bank closures.

It raises money for local causes by selling donated items and many of its customers don’t have credit or debit cards and only spend cash, which then needs depositing at the end of each business day.

Speaking in December following the announcements, boss Steve Long said: “We were originally with HSBC and they closed so we had to start using their Maidstone branch which took an awful lot of time out of our day.

“We then moved to NatWest and now they’ve announced they’re closing so we’re going to have to move a third time.

“We support some of the most vulnerable people in society and for them, cash is an essential way for them to manage their finances.

“They rely on face-to-face interactions, they’re less financially literate. It will increase financial exclusion in Strood.”

NatWest’s Rochester branch closed in June 2017 and its Gillingham one shut in June 2022.

The only branch for residents using the banking giants now across the Medway Towns is in Chatham High Street.

On Tuesday, KentOnline reported customers in Larkfield would see its NatWest in London Road close.

It will come into effect on July 10, leaving customers with a journey of 4.3 miles to reach the nearest branch in Maidstone.