BARCLAYS is due to open a new banking hub after the closure of its Barrow town centre branch.

The chain is due to close its branch in Dalton Road in November in a move the company said was prompted by people using other banking methods.

Furness MP Simon Fell has announced that Barclays is due to open a hub in Barrow to replace the services that will be lost by the closure.

It followed a meeting with representatives from the bank.

The MP said fears over the closure had been raised by a number of constituents during his summer surgery tour.

He said the banking chain was searching for a central Barrow location to open a 'Barclays Local' hub.

The bank's Ulverston equivalent operates from the town's library.

The Barrow hub is due to be open 35 hours a week, around double the opening hours of the current Dalton Road bank, Mr Fell said.

Barclays also plans to increase the opening hours at its Ulverston hub to the same number.

Counter services, including paying in cheques and cash, will be available from Post Offices, with the hubs being used for face-to-face appointments and meetings with the public.

Mr Fell said: "Losing a branch is always disappointing and challenging.

"For customers who do not easily go online or require face-to-face support, such a loss is keenly felt.

"And the closure of another high street shop is a blow just when it feels like things are beginning to turn around.

"But there is some good news: Barclays are actively seeking a new location to run a ‘Barclays Local’ from a central Barrow location when the branch closes (in Ulverston this is run from the library)."

He added: "There’s no sugar coating it - this is not where I would like us to be, but at least this new solution will offer more opening hours to customers, both in Barrow and Ulverston, and will also protect staff."

The Barrow bank is due to close on November 17 and was one of nine Barclays branches earmarked for closure in an announcement earlier this month.

The nearest branch is 35 miles away in Kendal.