Residents have hit out at the state Tenterden’s former Barclays branch has been left in after closing.

The branch shut its doors for the final time last week, and the once-impressive bank building now lies empty and sealed up with tape criss-crossed over the cash machine.

There are several notices plastered to the door, and the remnants of separation tape is still visible on the pavement outside.

The sad state of the building has drawn unfavourable reviews among residents, with Sue Ferguson saying it “looks like a crime scene”.

“Barclays haven’t even bothered to remove the pavement tape. It shows they don’t care what it looks like if they think this is acceptable,” she said.

The branch has defended its decision to close – announced on November 5 – by citing figures that state a total of 84% of branch customers “also use other ways to do their banking”, while customers using other ways to do their banking has increased by 10% since 2015.

Perhaps most shockingly, the bank claims that just 115 customers use the branch exclusively for their banking.

The bank is not leaving the town altogether, with a van coming to Glebe Hall car park in Church Road twice a month.

However, there will be no cash or counter service, with the four-hour times reserved for advice on how to use the Barclays app and online banking.

The next sessions will be tomorrow and then Friday, February 25, from 10am to 2pm.

The nearest alternative Barclays branch is in Ashford, with three other banks – Nationwide, Natwest and Santander – remaining in the high street.

Speaking to our sister title the Kentish Express at the time of the closure announcement, Cllr John Crawford said he was against the plan.

He said: “I think this move will be very detrimental to the town and to residents.

“What you will have now is people being asked to pay for petrol to drive to Ashford on slow rural roads, then to find a car park and pay for parking, all for the ‘privilege’ of using a bank.

“I’m not even sure where the Barclays in Ashford is!

“It is a sign of the times in many ways, but just because a lot of people use online banking for many things does not mean that we can do without high street banks.”