Barclays bank is set to close 41 branches in March, April and May, meaning local customers will have to find another place to do their in-person banking. Some customers may want to consider changing to another bank which does have an outlet in their area or think about moving to online banking.
The full list of Barclays branches that are to close this year includes:
- Amersham – March 1
- Bargoed – April 14
- Barnoldswick – April 14
- Bedale – April 26
- Birmingham – March 10
- Bishop Auckland – April 21
- Bridgwater – April 26
- Bridlington – March 6
- Chislehurst – May 4
- Dagenham – March 3
- Ellesmere Port – March 2
- Flitwick – April 14
- Gosport – April 26
- Guiseley – April 12
- Heywood – April 28
- Hunstanton – April 12
- Keswick Market Square – April 21
- Leeds – April 21
- Leyburn Market Place – May 5
- Liskeard – March 2
- London, 260 Walworth Road – April 13
- London, 104/108 Tower Bridge Road – April 19
- London, 304 Green Street – April 20
- London, 19 Fleet Street – May 3
- Macclesfield – April 14
- Milton Keynes – April 18
- Oakham – April 28
- Oundle – May 5
- Radlett – May 5
- Shenfield – April 19
- Sittingbourne – March 8
- Sleaford – March 8
- St Helens – May 4
- Stamford – April 28
- Swansea – March 7
- Talbot Green – May 5
- Torquay – March 8
- Warley – April 21
- Watton – May 3
- Weymouth – March 3
- Wymondham – April 28.
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Jenny Ross, Which? money editor, warned those who are not ready to move to online banking must be “protected” from the branch closures.
She said: “While many consumers have embraced digital banking, there are still millions, including the elderly, vulnerable and isolated, who aren’t yet ready or willing to make that switch – and they must be protected.
“Our figures show how the number of bank branches and free-to-use ATMs has been slashed in recent years, so it’s vital that new legislation protects free access to cash for the millions of people who rely on it.
“The Government must guarantee minimum levels of access without fees being charged and give the Financial Conduct Authority powers to oversee the cash system to ensure it meets community needs.”
DON’T MISS:
A recent survey by Newcastle Building Society found some 18.7 million Britons do not have a local bank branch they can access.
A third said a bank or building society has shut down in their local area within the last 12 months.
Some 5,391 bank and building society branches closed their doors between January 2015 and January 2023, shutting at a rate of 54 each month.
Other major banks have announced rafts of closures for this year, including NatWest, Halifax and Lloyds.
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Lord Foulkes, the co-chairman of All Party Parliamentary Group on Age and Older People, said “urgent action” is needed to reverse the trend.
He commented: “The Government needs to take urgent action to stop this and make banks return to serving the public rather than maximising their profits.”
In efforts to ensure high street banks remain as a service for Britons, Newcastle Building Society has partnered with tech firm OneBanx to create multi-bank kiosks.
They have launched two of these at their branches in Gosforth, Newcastle, and Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.
The kiosks use Open Banking technology to allow small businesses and individual customers of any bank in the Open Banking network to withdraw and deposit cash from their accounts.
Staff can help customers with the technology which allows individuals and businesses to complete basic banking tasks.
Stuart Miller, chief customer officer at Newcastle Building Society, said: “Members tell us every day that they value having access to local financial services, but this research reveals the scale of the impact caused by branch closures across the UK. With the pressure on living costs, I can’t think of a more important time for people to be able to pop into their local branch for a chat about money.
“The use of cash has increased significantly recently as people look for ways to manage their household budgets, so we believe it’s more important than ever to offer people the opportunity to transact locally and access cash.”
