Barclays bank has announced that they will have a bus at the Cheese & Grain in Frome every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday between 9.30am and 4.30pm (closed 12.30pm to 1pm).

This is in response to them closing their branch on Market Place on August 23.

However customers have been quick to ask, just what is the point of the bus?

The bank closed up Frome, along with over a third of all its branches and in total will be closing or has closed at least 165 of its bank branches throughout 2023 and 2024.

It states that in the bus in the car park in central Frome : " Can help you with your everyday banking needs. "

No - say people angry at the third major bank branch to close THIS year in Frome following the closure of Natwest and HSBC - this is just a chat room and useless.

One social media comment said: " It's just a information centre, no money can be paid in or taking out just basically a chat centre, pointless.

There are big concerns that with only one post office currently operating in Frome - the only other way to pay in cash - older people and businesses are being unfairly treated. There is a campaign to address the issue - Prosper Frome - details HERE but the chance of getting some of kind of banking hub doesn't seem imminent.

As another post pointed out: " It's ok banks going on about post offices but Frome isn't over run with them either. It completely screws over the older generation. "