A major high street bank has confirmed that 18 more of its branches will shut for good this winter. NatWest Group is bringing the shutters down in multiple locations from February 2024.
Big banks moving online
The closures come as big banks look to move more of their services online. The NatWest banking group, which operates out of NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), and Ulster Bank branches, has closed 402 bank branches since May 2022.
Branch closures announced
RBS has announced the closure of another branch in November 2024 at 23 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. NatWest will also close 17 of its branches in the new year. Here's the full list of locations closing next:
- Water Lane, Bakewell – February 22
- Bristol Road, South Birmingham – March 5
- Chiswick High Road, London – February 20
- Castle Street, Dudley- March 7
- New Line, Bradford – February 21
- Greenwich Church Street, Greenwich – February 22
- High Street, Maldon- March 7
- Marine Road Central, Morecambe – February 28
- Prescot Road, Liverpool – March 5
- Moor Street, Ormskirk – February 27
- Taff Street, Pontypridd – February 29
- High Street, East Redcar – February 20
- High Street, Rickmansworth – February 29
- Piccadilly, London – March 6
- High Street, Rochester – March 6
- Victoria Road, Surbiton – February 21
- High Street, Wednesfield – February 28
- Station Parade, London – February 27
Accessing banking services
Many people, particularly the elderly, still rely on in-person services, and the closures will make it more difficult for this demographic to access services. However, 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.
How many new banking hubs are planned?
The first four banking hubs were successfully piloted last year in Brixham, Cambuslang, Cottingham, and Rochford. Four more have opened in Acton, Buckingham, Carnoustie, and Troon.
Following further branch closures, LINK, the UK's Cash Access and ATM network, has identified a further 54 locations which require banking hubs.
There are 37 banking hubs planned for England, one banking hub planned in Northern Ireland, nine banking hubs planned for Scotland, and seven banking hubs planned for Wales.
There isn't a set date for when these hubs are expected to open, but it's expected that they'll be up and running within the next 12 months.
