A TOWN that lost its only bank yesterday has suffered another blow with the news that the Co-op is planning to shut one of its stores.

As HSBC closed in Shildon, County Durham, it emerged that the Co-operative Food store, in Church Street, will close on November 28. Its shop in Redworth Road, Shildon, will remain open.

Campaigners who fought to save the bank have spoken of their disappointment, and voiced fears that the latest closure will drive shoppers and businesses to neighbouring towns.

Mayor Brian Stoker said: “It is totally disgusting.

“People will go elsewhere and it is as if Shildon does not exist anymore. This is not good for the town.”

Shildon resident Edwin Hird said people would bypass Shildon and go to Bishop Auckland or Spennymoor.

He said: “My wife, Joyce, works at the Children in Distress store, on the High Street.

She doesn’t drive and has to go to Bishop Auckland to do the charity’s banking.”

The HSBC and Co-op cashpoints will be removed with the businesses, although there will still be a cash machine at the town’s Morrisons store.

Helen Goodman, Shildon’s Labour MP, said: “This is a double blow.

“The Co-op decision is a bolt from the blue and is really bad news. I will get in touch with the Co-op as quickly as possible.

“I had spoken to the head of retail at HSBC, but they were not interested in listening.”

A Co-operative Food spokesman said: “We have informed store staff of the decision, which has been taken with the greatest reluctance and is due to the store’s poor trading performance.”

The Co-op hopes work can be found for the store’s 16 staff at other branches.

An HSBC spokesman said: “We need to ensure branches are in the right locations.

“This means we occasionally close branches where customer footfall has fallen dramatically.

Customer usage in Shildon has fallen very significantly over the past few years.”