Mid Ulster bank closures a 'blow to the staff concerned'

Speaking about today's announcement from the bank, Councillor Trevor Wilson said: "News that the First Trust branches in both Cookstown and Magherafelt are to close is a blow first and foremost to the staff concerned, to the local economy and a loss to our high streets.

"These banks have been part of our town centres for many years and, while we know that people access banking services in many different ways now, there are still many local people who value the accessibility and personalised service that a branch provides.

"We await further detail on the potential job losses locally and any action we can take to alleviate the impact."

First Trust today announced the closure of 15 branches of the bank - two of which are in Mid Ulster District.

From June 30 the banks customers will be expected to use the Dungannon branch, while those using Magherafelt will have to make a trip to Ballymena from July 28.

Dungannon