THOUSANDS of customers face having their bank branch close in April as 52 locations are set to shut forever.
The closures come as major high street banks opt to transition more of their banking services online.
Several major banks are shutting dozens of bank branches across England and Wales this month
Data from the UK’s largest cash machine network, LINK, keeps track of any planned branch closures across the UK.
Barclays will bring down the shutters on 22 of its branches this month and HSBC will close 11 outlets.
Halifax and Lloyds Bank both shut a six branches each by the end of April.
NatWest is also closing six of its own bank branches and the building society Nationwide is closing one at a single location this month.
Many people, particularly the elderly, still rely on in-person services and the closures will make it more difficult for this demographic to access accessible services.
But there are still a number of ways in which affected customers can access basic banking services without having to venture to the next town.
You can use one of the Post Office’s 11,635 branches to perform basic banking tasks — but not open new bank accounts or take personal loans and mortgages.
Many banks also offer a mobile banking service. This is where your bank brings a bus to your local area that has the services that are usually available at your branch.
You should call up your bank to see if it runs a banking bus and they will be able to tell you where and when it will be parked.
Other banks use buildings such as village halls or libraries to offer mobile banking services.
Banking hubs, which offer traditional shared services, have also been set up in four locations around the UK to help plug the gap — in Brixham, Cambuslang, Cottingham and Rochford.
There are plans to open dozens more hubs across the UK and the ATM provider LINK announced plans for a further eight new locations last week – taking the total number of planned hubs to 47.
Here is a full list of the 52 bank branches closing this month.
Barclays closures
- Bargoed, Rhymney Valley – April 14
- Barnoldswick, Lancashire – April 14
- Bedale, North Yorkshire – April 26
- Bishop Auckland, County Durham – April 21
- Bridgwater, Somerset – April 26
- Flitwick, Bedfordshire – April 14
- Gosport, Hampshire – April 26
- Guiseley, West Yorkshire – April 12
- Heywood, Rochdale – April 28
- Hunstanton, Norfolk – April 12
- Keswick, Cumbria – April 21
- Leeds, West Yorkshire – April 21
- Macclesfield, Cheshire – April 14
- Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire – April 18
- Newham, London – April 20
- Oakham, Rutland – April 28
- Shenfield, Essex – April 19
- Southwark, London – April 13
- Stamford, Lincolnshire – April 28
- Tower Bridge Road, London – April 19
- Warley, Sandwell – April 21
- Wymondham, Norfolk – April 28
HSBC closures
- Abergavenny, Monmouthshire – April 18
- Alton, Hampshire – April 25
- Bexhill-On-Sea, East Sussex – April 18
- Blandford Forum, Dorset – April 18
- Cromer, Norfolk – April 18
- Downend, South Gloucestershire – April 25
- Leominster, Herefordshire – April 25
- Market Bosworth, Leicestershire – April 25
- Shaftesbury, Dorset – April 25
- St Austell, Cornwall – April 18
- St Ives, Cornwall – April 18
Halifax closures
- Aldershot, Hampshire – April 26
- Bangor, Gwynedd – April 17
- Chester Le Street, County Durham – April 19
- Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester – April 27
- Crouch End, Haringey – April 27
- Fenchurch Street, City of London – April 19
Lloyds Bank closures
- Beckenham, Bromley – April 20
- Chingford, Waltham Forest – April 25
- Dagenham, Barking and Dagenham – April 26
- Gillingham, Kent – April 25
- Norbury, London – April 19
- Pontefract, West Yorkshire – April 20
NatWest closures
- Blackpool, Lancashire – April 25
- Fleet, Hampshire – April 27
- Heslington, Yorkshire and the Humber – April 27
- Clapham, London – April 26
- Southampton, Hampshire – April 25
- Stroud, Gloucestershire – April 26
Nationwide closures
- Kingswood, South Gloucestershire – April 20
Which bank has the most branches?
If you prefer to do your banking in a branch, then it’s getting increasingly difficult.
Despite closures, there may be a local one near you that you’d prefer to visit.
For example, Lloyds Banking Group still operates more than 1,000 branches across the country across its Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland brands.
How do I switch bank account?
It’s easy to switch your bank account using the Current Account Switch Service (CASS).
You don’t have to remember to move direct debits over when moving as it does this everything for you.
All you have to do is apply for the new account you want and the new bank will let your existing provider know you’re moving.
There are some steps you can take before switching though, such as choosing your switch date or organising transferring your old bank statements to your new account.
To get your old statements you should get in touch with your bank.
How to find the best bank accounts
Don’t waste time looking at individual banking sites – it’ll take you an eternity.
Research websites like MoneyFacts.co.uk and price comparison websites such as Compare the Market, Go Compare and MoneySupermarket will help save you time and show you the best rates available.
These sites let you tailor your searches to an account type that suits you.
