Major high street banks are set to close numerous branches in the near future, as announced by five leading financial institutions. The closures, affecting customers of banks like Lloyds, Halifax, and NatWest, will see a total of 11 branches shutting down this week alone.
NatWest customers will witness the permanent closure of branches in Abingdon, Birmingham, New Market, Willerby, and Yate this week. Additionally, Halifax will be closing branches in London Clapham Junction, Rhyl, Erdington, Cirencester, and Walkden, while the Lloyds branch in Leeds Armley is also on the closure list.
The decision to close branches stems from the increasing trend of customers turning to online and mobile banking services, making it challenging for banks to justify the existence of physical branches. Despite this shift, many customers and small businesses still heavily rely on their local branches for day-to-day banking needs.
Upcoming Branch Closures:
– NatWest branches to close by November
– Lloyds branches scheduled for closure by year-end
– Lloyds branches set to close in 2026
– Halifax branches to shut down by year-end
– Bank of Scotland closures by March 2026
– Santander branches to be closed (dates unspecified)
Since 2015, over 6,400 bank branches have closed, averaging 53 closures per month, as reported by Which?. This shift reflects a significant change in how UK banks operate, according to Which? deputy editor Sam Richardson.
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