SHOP owners are worried their high street will suffer when its last remaining building society closes down.

There will be no banks or building societies in Joel Street, Northwood Hills, when Nationwide closes on November 28.

And the closure of the branch after 30 years will leave just one free of charge cash machine at Tesco Express serving the whole of the high street.

Asad Saeed is the owner of Papa John's, a pizza takeaway next to the branch.

He said: "A lot of people come to us for collections and they take money out from the cash machine. It's really good for business having it next to us.

"Sometimes there are lots of people in the queue to use the cash machine and they look at offers in here and then come in here after.

"Less people will shop in the high street and I think we will lose business."

John Canning, 60, of Windsor Close, is a customer of the branch and will now have to go to Northwood to do his banking.

He said: "I think it's disgusting. I have lived here for 35 years and this will be the end of the high street."

Dalvinder Sarai, manager of tennis-nuts.com, said: "I think it will affect our business a little bit because most people prefer to pay by cash and there will be no cash points.

"Customers will be given one less reason to come here, but if they can't afford to run it what can you do?"

A Nationwide spokesman said the closure was because of low use, the proximity of other branches and the investment that would be needed to keep it open.

He said accounts would be transferred to the Northwood branch, and nobody would lose their job.