A VILLAGE cash booth installed to replace a closed bank has been frequently out-of-order, a local man has claimed.

Kirkburton lost its only bank late last year when the HSBC branch on North Road was axed after bosses said not enough people were using it.

The closure left many people with long trips to Huddersfield or Wakefield to do their banking.

After the branch closed its doors the global banking giant installed a stand alone cash booth at the other end of the village on School Hill.

But carer Martin Fletcher, who was angry at the bank closure, said the new machine had been out of action the last two times he had been to it.

Mr Fletcher uses HSBC machines to do transactions on behalf of his disabled partner as it means the couple do not have to make the difficult journey to a main branch together.

The Emley man said: “Where they’ve put it is not really suitable unless you’re young and fit or you’re going to the pub.

“It’s opposite a pub and right outside a workmen’s cafe.

“And you can’t get there during the day because there’s always builders parked outside it.

“I double parked there to use it and it was out of order.”

Mr Fletcher also claimed the next nearest HSBC machine at Morrisons on Penistone Road had been broken for months.

But a spokesman for Morrisons said their machine had only been out of action once – on April 7.

Mr Fletcher added: “Do the bankers know a large number of carers and nurses have the pin numbers of the disabled so they can help them out?

“I know I can drive to Denby Dale or Almondbury, but it’s made it that little bit harder.

“I’m pretty fed up with a lot of the banks in general.

“David Milliband has been quoted as saying everybody can get a basic account.

“But I personally went to four different banks and none of them were interested.

“I’ve had problems with money before, but I don’t owe anybody anything now.

“I even went to the Castle and Minster Credit Union, which Mr Sheerman has promoted, and they didn’t want to know either.”