A total of 40 companies will consider taking their business elsewhere when the Marden branch of NatWest shuts its doors in 11 days time.

The High Street bank, which is the only one left in the village, will close on Tuesday, November 25, with services relocated to the village post office across the road.

More than 800 people signed a petition since Royal Bank of Scotland announced the decision to shut the bank it owns in August, citing falling physical transactions.

The village’s business forum claims the post office will not be able to cope with the increased footfall.

Liz Stanley, owner of family-run garage Stanleys of Marden, in Albion Road, said: “It is already a thriving business where you normally have to queue. With increased footfall it will be very difficult to get anything done.”

The closure of the branch, which opens for 18 hours a week, was influenced by the fact it has no computers.

Trudi Westhrop, who owns The Green Door day spa in the High Street, said: “It’s a bizarre thing to do when we have so much proposed development in the village. It feels like the community is disappearing.”

Branches of NatWest in Coxheath, Lenham and Snodland will also go as part of the latest wave of closures, although an RBS spokesman insisted there were no plans to close any more in Kent.

"It feels like the community is disappearing.” - Trudi Westhrop

An RBS spokesman said: “Our local management have spoken to the leader of Maidstone Borough Council, Annabelle Blackmore, and explained our reasons.

“If businesses have specific needs as a result, they should contact the relationship manager, who will do everything they can to help them with alternative ways of banking.”

Mrs Blackmore said RBS had agreed to open its Staplehurst branch on Saturdays for a trial period.

She added the closure would “have a negative effect on businesses in Marden”.

Despite having previously stated there would be no job losses as a result of the closure, the spokesman added: “There are three members of staff who work at the branch and we will do everything we can to avoid compulsory redundancies.”