A CAMPAIGN is gathering momentum to fight a decision by the “world’s local bank” to cut its ties to a Wirral town, with residents and businesses labelling the move “devastating”.

No public consultation was carried out but HSBC will still close its Hoylake branch before next spring – arguing that the £150,000 spent in neighbouring West Kirby justifies the withdrawal.

The decision leaves the town with no financial institution, except the Post Office.

Lorraine McKinley, who runs Market Street’s Marcus James and Co (UK Ltd) with her family, has banked with HSBC, on a personal and business level, for two years, and left Barclays because it did not have a Hoylake branch.

Ms McKinley said: “It will have a devastating impact on business because we no longer have a bank for people to go to.

“There’s the convenience and also the safety factor because we don’t have to walk far with cash, whereas now, to pay in takings, we’re going to be expected to travel to West Kirby.”

HSBC claims the decision to close, on March 18 next year, was made because customer usage has “fallen significantly over the past few years”.

Instead, the firm opted to invest £150,000 in its West Kirby outlet, reasoning the two-mile journey from Hoylake makes the branch there “local” enough.

Jacqui Hall , who runs Hoylake’s charitable Melrose Hall, says she has paid money into the bank two or three times a week.

An HSBC customer for the past 40 years, Ms Hall said: “Over the years, I’ve raised a lot of money and I’ve always used that bank to pay the money in.

“I’ve given it a lot of business over the years.

“The shops will be devastated.

“People go there to get money from the bank and then come shopping, well now they’re going to go to West Kirby.”

The two women are urging the bank to reconsider its decision and are calling for support.

Earlier this week, Hoylake and Meols councillor Gerry Ellis handed a 207-signature petition to full council demanding that talks are opened with the bank.

Cllr Ellis said: “Whoever made this decision has just got a map out, they haven’t considered it from a practicality point of view and they haven’t consulted anyone locally.

“We’re trying our best to boost Hoylake, we don’t want people to come and say ‘where's the local bank?’ and we say ‘we haven't got one’.”

A spokesman for HSBC said: “Customer usage of this branch has fallen significantly.

“There will be no redundancies as all branch staff will transfer to other local branches.

“Customers and residents will still have access to fee free cash withdrawals from the two existing ATMs in the town.”