DOZENS of bank branches are set to close their doors for good in May, taking the total number of closures this year to more than 100.
In total, 83 branches are set to close next month, making it even harder for customers to access banking services on the high street.
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Data from ATM provider LINK shows that branches will close in towns and cities including Alnwick, Wetherby and Edinburgh.
The banks set to close branches include NatWest, Lloyds, TSB and Halifax.
Lloyds will shutter the most branches, with 27 locations set to close.
NatWest will shutter 21 branches, while Halifax will close 17 and Bank of Scotland will shut 8.
Meanwhile, TSB is set to shut five, Barclays will close three and Ulster Bank and the Bank of Scotland will both close one.
By the end of last month, 88 branches closed their doors for good.
The 83 closures next month will mean that 171 branches will have shut since the beginning of the year.
Banks and building societies have been closing branches at an alarming rate.
Research from consumer group Which? revealed that UK banks and building societies have closed around 6,293 branches since January 2015.
On average, this works out at almost two branches closing every day for a decade.
Which? added that this represents 63% of all the branches that were open at the start of 2015.
More are set to follow as Which? suggests that 282 closures are already planned for this year.
Here is the full list of banks shutting for good in May and their closure dates:
Halifax
- Acomb – May 5
- Alnwick – May 15
- Keynsham – May 14
- Wetherby – May 13
- Whitby – May 14
- Bangor – May 29
- Bromsgrove – May 29
- Huntingdon – May 15
- Balham – May 22
- Fulham – May 27
- London Strand – May 8
- Omagh – May 19
- Rayleigh – May 20
- St Austell – May 13
- Waltham Cross – May 27
- Wilmslow – May 19
- Cannon Street – May 28
Lloyds Bank
- Alnwick – May 15
- Beccles – May 6
- Matlock – May 7
- New Milton – May 13
- Newland University – May 14
- Sherborne – May 19
- South Elmsall – May 19
- Southampton Shirley – May 7
- Wetherby – May 13
- Bishop Auckland – May 8
- Bridgnorth – May 20
- Bristol Clifton – May 21
- Bristol Patchway – May 28
- Bromsgrove – May 7
- Cardiff Whitchurch – May 29
- Bolton Farnworth – May 28
- Godalming – May 29
- Herne Bay – May 21
- Launceston – May 12
- Leyland – May 8
- Fulham – May 27
- Louth – May 7
- Ludlow – May 20
- Margate – May 14
- Pontyclun – May 12
- Prudhoe – May 15
- Rayleigh – May 20
Bank of Scotland
- Banff – May 8
- Leven – May 7
- Barrhead – May 21
- Edinburgh Wester Hailes – May 27
- Kirkintilloch – May 22
- Peebles – May 27
- Sanquhar – May 28
- Uddingston – May 22
TSB
- Banff – May 27
- Flint – May 29
- Whitchurch – May 21
- Tenbury Wells – May 20
- Bedlington – May 28
Barclays
- Whitby – May 2
- Borehamwood – May 2
- Leiston – May 2
Bank of Scotland
- Edinburgh George Street – May 6
NatWest
- Eanam – May 12
- Cannock – May 12
- Allenton Derby – May 13
- Hollinwood – May 7
- Farnworth – May 15
- Goole – May 14
- Leyland – May 15
- Aintree Black Bull – May 14
- Long Eaton – May 29
- Louth – May 28
- Morley – May 8
- Denton Park Newcastle-Upon-Tyne – May 1
- Basford – May 21
- Rawtenstall – May 29
- Trafford Park – May 20
- Hunter’s Bar Sheffield – May 7
- Urmston – May 13
- Wallasey Precinct – May 21
- Widnes – May 8
- Wilmslow – May 20
- Windermere – May 1
Ulster Bank
- A branch in Northern Ireland – May 23
The closures come as banks push customers to manage their money online or by app.
As more people use digital services, banks have closed sites to help cut their costs.
Which? data shows that Barclays is the individual bank to have closed the most branches since 2015.
In total it has shuttered 1,236 sites in the past decade.
It is followed by NatWest, which has shut 904 branches, and Lloyds, at 821.
In comparison, Nationwide has pledged to not leave a town or city in which it has a branch until at least 2028.
What can I do if my local branch is set to close?
If your local bank has shut then you have some alternatives.
You can carry out basic banking tasks such as withdrawing cash or checking your balance at your nearest Post Office.
To find your closest branch use the locator tool on the Post Office website.
Some banks also offer a mobile banking service, where they bring a bus to your area to offer services you would usually get at a physical branch.
Other banks use buildings such as village halls or libraries to offer mobile banking services.
Another option is to visit a banking hub.
These are shared spaces where you can speak to a representative from your bank and access face-to-face cash and banking services.
They usually have a counter where you can speak to a member of staff and get help managing your money.
There is also a private area where you can speak to staff about more complicated banking issues.
Around 250 banking hubs are set to be available by the end of 2025.
What services do banking hubs offer?
BANKING hubs offer a range of services to bridge the gap left by the closure of local branches.
Operated by the Post Office, these hubs allow customers to perform routine transactions such as deposits, withdrawals, and balance enquiries.
Each hub features private booths where customers can discuss more complex banking matters with staff from their respective banks.
Staff from different banks are available on a rotational basis, ensuring that customers have access to a wide range of banking services throughout the week.
Additionally, customers can receive advice and support on various financial products and services, including loans, mortgages, and savings accounts.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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