Councillors will meet with bank chiefs in a bid to keep the Halifax open in Harborough

Councillors are to meet bank chiefs in a bid to keep the Halifax open in Market Harborough.

Cllr Phil Knowles is spearheading attempts to make bosses think again as they plan to close the branch on The Square this autumn.

The online meeting is now set to go ahead next Friday (July 9).

''The closure will have a big impact on the wider community in so many ways and so I am very pleased that Halifax bosses are happy to meet with us,” said Cllr Knowles, who leads the Liberal Democrats on Harborough council.

“I have secured their agreement to the invitation being extended to the nine district councillors who represent the Market Harborough Town Area.

“And although I appreciate not all nine will be able to attend I know they will be keen to understand why the Halifax are looking at the closure and if there is any wriggle room for a rethink.''

The Halifax bank in Market Harborough town centre is one of 44 Halifax and Lloyds Bank branches to be closed across the country.

Lloyds' retail director Vim Maru said they are wielding the axe amid “significantly fewer transactions” at the doomed outlets over the last five years as more people bank online.

Mr Maru said they had attracted over four million more digital banking customers over the last five years hitting a total of almost 18 million.