PLANS to return a bank to its original condition following the closure of a branch in Frinton have been approved.

Barclays Bank applied to Tendring Council to revert the external appearance of branch in Connaught Avenue back to its original condition.

The works will include removing all the external corporate signage, rendering and removing the existing ATM.

The branch is within Frinton's Conservation Area.

The closure of the branch came after the town’s Natwest bank shut in 2017 and Lloyds bank in 2018.

Barclays said its customers were visiting the branch less and less each year with 83 per cent of people using online banking – up from 65 per cent five years ago.

The branch had 2,565 personal and 349 business customers who used it regularly, but just 119 who use it exclusively for their banking.

Frinton councillor Nick Turner previously said he was disappointed by the decision to close the branch, which will leave Nationwide as the only bank left in the town centre.

“It is a great shame that it is closing, but banking is changing radically,” he said.

“We could scream and shout about it, but it’s not going to make the slightest difference

“It will leave a hole in our high street, but as the town centre evolves hopefully that will be filled.