VETERAN campaigner Terry Hutt is holding Barclays Bank to account. He wants to see access provided for disabled and elderly people at the branch in High Street, Royston. But Barclays says that because of the listed status of the building North Herts Distr

VETERAN campaigner Terry Hutt is holding Barclays Bank to account.

He wants to see access provided for disabled and elderly people at the branch in High Street, Royston.

But Barclays says that because of the listed status of the building North Herts District Council has rejected any plans to alter the entrance.

A spokesman for Barclays said: "Over the years we have exhausted every avenue with the council to have a disabled access provided.

"We've tried hard, but have always been refused," she said.

She continued: "We are unable to gain local planning permission due to the fact the building has listed status."

She continued that staff would work in conjunction with to customers in a bid to "provide solutions".

At the time of going to Press yesterday (Wednesday), the district council had not commented on the situation.

The situation came to a head after Mr Hutt learned that the Woolwich Building Society - now part of the Barclays empire - in Angel Pavement, Royston, was set to close.

He believed that this would hinder disabled and elderly people who have accounts transferred to Barclays.

"You only have to stand outside Barclays for an hour to see people struggling to get up the steps.

"It's just impossible for wheelchairs," he said.

Mr Hutt continued: "These people all have a right to get inside the bank and it is making it hard for them."

Mr Hutt has started collecting signatures for a petition calling on the bank to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.

In 20 minutes more than 50 people had supported the petition.

"The petition is our main weapon. The bank will have to listen to us," he said.

Mr Hutt will be raising the matter with the district council and plans to call on the support of Royston's MP Oliver Heald.