'Disgusting' as big banks close 29 branches before 249 close for good
A TOTAL of 29 bank branches will close their doors in the coming days.
Several locations in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland will be downing their shutters in a blow to customers.
It comes after 249 bank branches have been marked for closure so far this year, with dozens already set to close in 2024.
Customers have reacted to the news that their local branches will close in the coming months.
One social media user branded the closures as “disgusting,” while another said there “won't be any left in any city.”
The major lenders, which are closing their doors in February alone, are an important part of the British high street.
Barclays will close seven branches, Lloyds will close one and the Bank of Scotland (BoS) will close three, according to LINK, which tracks any planned closures of branches in the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, two branches in Halifax will close and NatWest will close 12.
Ulster Bank will also close stores in four locations.
Hundreds of mortgage banks and bank branches closed their doors for good last year.
Recently, Barclays announced that it will close 16 branches in England, three in Wales and three in Scotland in May.
In addition, Lloyds Banking Group said it is cutting around 1,600 jobs across its branch network as part of an ongoing shift to online banking.
Customers are increasingly turning to online banking to manage their finances, as banks and building societies look for ways to cut costs.
Here's the full list of banks closing for good in the US next one two weeks, and their closing dates.
Barclays
- 16 Vaughan Street, Llanelli, Wales – 22/02/2024
- 43 High Street Sheringham, England – 21/02/2024
- 130 George Lane, South Woodford, England – 23/02/2024
- 27/29 Church Street, Coleraine, Northern Ireland – 23/02/2024
- 22 The Borough, Farnham, England – 21/02/2024
- 2 Market Place, Cannock, England – 22/02/2024
- 197 Shenley Road, Borehamwood, England – 21/02/2024
NatWest
- 1 Water Lane, Bakewell, England – 22/02/2024
- 314 Chiswick High Road, London, England – 20/02/2024
- 151 New Line, Bradford, England – 21/02/2024
- 2 Greenwich Church Street, Greenwich, England – 22/02/2024
- 262 Marine Road Central, Morecambe, England – 28/02/2024
- 34 Moor Street, Ormskirk, England – 27/02/2024
- 1 Taff Street, Pontypridd, Wales – 29/02/2024
- 5 High Street East, Redcar, England – 20/02/2024
- 159 High Street, Rickmansworth, England – 29/02/2024
- 10 Victoria Road, Surbiton, England – 21/02/2024
- 10 High Street, Wednesfield, England – 28/02/2024
- 12 Station Parade, London, England – 27/02/2024
Lloyds
- 308-312 Chiswick High Road, London, England – 19/02/2024
Halifax
- 13 Market Jew Street, Penzance, England – 20/02/2024
- 131-133 Princes Street, Edinburgh, Scotland – 26/02/2024
Bank of Scotland
- Main Street, Tarbert, Isle Of Harris, Scotland – 22/02/2024
- Lochmaddy, Isle Of North Uist, Scotland – 26/02/2024
- 42 Stuart Street, Millport, Scotland – 20/02/2024
Ulsterbank
- 1a Main Street, Ballynahinch, Northern Ireland – 28/02/2024
- 1-2 Kings Square, Belfast, Northern Ireland – 21/02/2024
- 356-369 Ormeau Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland – 20/02/2024
- 29 Clooney Terrace, Waterside, Northern Ireland – 27/02/2024
What should you do if your local bank branch closes?
The vast majority of banking customers move online and no longer have as much need for a physical office as before.
But any closures could be a problem for others, especially the elderly in rural areas who don't have access to the internet.
However, if your local branch is about to close, or has recently closed, you have some options.
You can perform most basic banking tasks at the nearest post office.
However, you cannot apply for a loan or open a new bank account in one go.
You can find your nearest post office using the search function on the website.
Many banks offer a mobile banking service, where they bring a bus to your area with services you can normally get at a physical branch.
Other banks use buildings such as village halls or libraries to offer mobile banking.
It's worth contacting your bank to see what services they have available and when they might be available again in your area.
Meanwhile, a major bank will have to close another 20 branches in the coming months, which will be another huge blow.
In addition, here are the 189 bank branches that will close their doors next year.
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