Thousands of Santander and NatWest customers will lose their local branches next week as the banks accelerate their shift to online banking. A total of 17 branches are set to close over four days starting Monday.
Santander is closing its remaining 15 branches this month, with the last two—in Liskeard, Cornwall, and Shirley, West Midlands—shutting on Wednesday, 20 May. The bank announced in January it would close 44 branches, most of which have already closed.
NatWest is closing seven branches between Monday, 11 May and Thursday, 14 May, with a further eight shutting by the end of May. Additional closures are scheduled for June (14), by the end of September (5), and next year (3). The bank said most affected branches will be replaced by banking hubs offering face-to-face services.
Both banks cited changing customer habits, with more transactions being done online. NatWest stated: 'Banking has changed dramatically in recent years. There's more demand for mobile and online services.'
