A HIGH street banking giant has announced plans to close three large branches across East Lancashire.

International bank HSBC said it is to close branches in Nelson, Accrington and Rawtenstall within the next two months.

Community leaders and residents said the closures were "a major blow" for the town centres and an "inconvenience" for customers.

The first branch to close will be Nelson’s Manchester Road branch on  April 29.

This will be followed by Accrington’s Blackburn Road branch and Rawtenstall’s Bank Street branch – both on April 29.

HSBC bosses said the decision was taken because the branches were "under-used".

Jake Berry, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, said: “I’m very disappointed to hear this.

“I understand that HSBC customers will still be able to use counter services at the local post office.

“I will be urging HSBC to reconsider this decision.”

Customers will now be forced to travel to Blackburn’s Church Street branch and Burnley’s Manchester Road branch.

Hyndburn councillor Peter Britcliffe said: “This is another major blow to our major town centre in Hyndburn.

“This at a time when M&S are due to leave and even our library is under threat.

“Hyndburn Council needs to shake itself out of its complacent lethargy and bring forward an action plan for Accrington Centre.”

County Cllr Azhar Ali, who represents Nelson South of Lancashire County Council, said: “This is a major blow to the town and I am shocked.

“Many people use the branch in Nelson as well as the elderly so this will make it harder for them now.

“It is not fair to the customers and I don’t understand why no consultation was given to the people either.”

Peter Wood, chairman of the Friends of Rawtenstall group, said: “They really haven’t considered the 68,000 people who live in Rawtenstall and use the bank as their main branch."

“It has just made it much harder and means that we will have to travel further to use a HSBC branch.”

Banking bosses said on average they have seen a 40 per cent reduction in footfall in all branches in the last five years.

A HSBC spokesman said: “We never take the decision to close a branch lightly, and we understand it’s unsettling for the local community.

“We've taken this difficult decision as 81 per cent of contact with the bank is now completed via the telephone, internet or smartphone, plus 97 per cent of cash withdrawals are made via an ATM."

“Since HSBC’s branch network was first established over one hundred years ago, the UK has gone through significant change.

“Footfall in our branches has fallen significantly and customers are rapidly moving their banking on-line.

“We have had an increase in the use of online and telephone banking over the past few years and we’ve taken this difficult decision.”