BUSINESS owners are furious with "helpful bank" NatWest after it decided to reduce its opening hours.

The NatWest branch in Wotton-under-Edge has cut its opening hours down to 10am to 3pm three days a week, down from five full days.

It leaves many business owners, who bank with the chain, high and dry on days when the bank is closed, meaning cheques take longer to clear.

Steve Tazewell, of Bradley Garage, in Wotton, banks with NatWest and said on two occasions he has had to drive to Dursley or Thornbury to pay money in.

"I think it is very unfair," he said. "It means they are not available when you need them. I think it is a terrible situation."

Mr Tazewell also pointed out that the company's advertising was at odds with the real situation, as they claim to be Britain's ‘helping bank’ with convenient opening hours.

"Either their advertising is wrong or their opening times in Wotton are," he added.

Chairman of Wotton’s Chamber of Trade Alex Wilkinson has written to NatWest twice on behalf of local traders but has received no response.

He said: "Reducing the hours and days this branch opens is extremely detrimental to our business community and the town itself.

"In these days of economic uncertainty, it is essential that businesses get the support and service they need from their local bank."

Mr Wilkinson said in a letter to the bank that the move would mean many shoppers would be forced to visit other towns to do their banking, which would ultimately hit trade in Wotton. He urged NatWest to reconsider and revert to its usual opening hours.

Mayor of Wotton John Cordwell added: "It is a great inconvenience to the town. I should think if it continues people will vote with their feet and use a different bank."

A spokesman for NatWest said: "The decision to reduce the hours at our Wotton-under-Edge branch was not taken lightly, but was a response to falling customer demand and subsequently the workload no longer justified the previous opening hours.

"Critically, reducing the hours will enable us to maintain a branch presence in Wotton-under-Edge rather than considering closure.

"It has also enabled us to deploy more staff to our busier branches in the area, which provide a service outside of these revised hours."