THE campaign to prevent the closure of the Bank of Ireland in Belleek stepped up a notch this week, with the local community holding daily protests outside the branch.

There was widespread public anger in Fermanagh earlier this summer when the Bank of Ireland announced the Belleek branch would be one of eight across Northern Ireland that would be closing.

The bank stated that the volume of business at these eight branches was “insufficient” to sustain them on a commercial basis in the long term.

However, campaigners argue that the closure of the Belleek branch, which has over 5,000 customers from both sides of the border and is the last bank in the area, would be devastating for the local community.

At a strongly-supported public meeting last Thursday, which was jointly-organised by Belleek’s Chamber of Commerce and the local Community Association, it was agreed to hold daily protests outside the branch throughout this week, between 10am and 4pm each day.

A petition to maintain the bank has also been organised. The first signatory was First Minister Arlene Foster, who has given her backing to the campaign to save the bank.

Bridie Gormley, chairwoman of Belleek Chamber of Commerce, said this week that there was “huge support” locally for retaining the bank.

“We’re giving it our best shot and we will not go down without a fight,” she said.

Mrs Gormley said that the petition will be presented to the Chief Executive of the Bank of Ireland in due course. She is hopeful that the First Minister will accompany the delegation from Belleek when that happens.

Welcoming the protest and petition, Mrs Foster has paid tribute to the Belleek Chamber of Commerce for their commitment to ensuring that the branch, which she said was a “vital asset”, was secured.

The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA said: “The removal of the Bank of Ireland would be a strike to the very heart of the village, a village that has so much to offer our local economy.”

Pledging her full commitment to the campaign, she said: “Right across the globe we have witnessed the positive impact that people power can have, and I trust that a similar result can be achieved in Belleek.”

Meanwhile, Erne North councillor, Raymond Farrell who spoke at the public meeting, added: “Customers, business owners and the local community in Belleek will not accept this absurd decision taken by the Bank of Ireland. We welcome the support of our First Minister and I trust that a positive resolution can be achieved in the very near future.”