Bungay Town Council, supported by county councillor Judy Cloke, has been lobbying for months to get a hub and restore face-to-face banking in the town.

However, Link, the organisation responsible for assessing community need and awarding banking hubs, rejected Bungay's application.

Waveney Valley MP Adrian Ramsay has now thrown his weight behind the campaign to get a new facility.

He said: "At the moment, government criteria don't allow Bungay to apply for one because there is one is Harleston, but we know that for people without a car, that's not always convenient.

MP Adrian Ramsay has backed the fight for a banking hub (Image: UK Parliament)

"So I am pressing the government to review the rules so that market towns like Bungay can benefit from a banking hub."

The assessment found that existing local services were sufficient for the area's needs, such as Bungay's free-to-use ATM and post office.

Link had said: "We are not recommending the provision of any new or improved cash access services in Bungay at this time.

"This is because our assessment shows there are already cash access services and facilities within a three mile radius which are suitable for the needs of the local area, or the deficiency does not cause a significant impact on the local area."

A 24 hour ATM was installed at the town council offices with then town clerk Jeremy Burton, Waveney MP Peter Aldous, mayor Bob Prior and Ian Vernon of LINK (Image: LINK/Phil Barnes Photography)

Bungay Town Council said it was "very disappointed by the outcome and response" and confirmed it intends to challenge the assessment.

Mr Ramsay also highlighted that distance on paper does not always represent reality.

"In rural areas proximity does not necessarily mean accessibility when it comes to travel times, when it comes to public transport access," he added.

Bungay has been without a high-street bank since 2018, when Lloyds closed its Market Place branch as part of closures across the UK.

It was the fifth bank to shut down in the town, leaving locals without a dedicated banking service.

© Eastern Daily Press