High street bank with 1,500 branches to close locations forever within HOURS – is your local going?
A MAJOR bank with 1,500 branches is set to close more locations for good within hours as they continue to disappear from the high street.
Barclays is pulling the plug on three of its branches on Friday, September 29.
The closures come as big banks make the move of transferring more of their services online.
Data from the UK's largest cash machine network, LINK, keeps track of any planned branch closures across the UK.
The three locations closing in the UK on September 29 are:
- Barclays, Kingfisher Shopping Centre, Redditch
- Barclays, Bude
- Barclays, Hanover Square, London
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It comes after a number of banks across the nation closed their doors for the final time this month, including Barclays branches in St Ives, St Andrews and Haverhill - which all shut down on September 8.
Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and Halifax are among those impacted across locations such as London, Suffolk and Newcastle.
HSBC closed four branches earlier this month (September 5).
The locations of these included:
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- HSBC, Settle
- HSBC, Epworth
- HSBC, Holsworthy
- HSBC, Hythe
And Santander shut three of its banks the following day, which were:
- Santander, Midsummer Place, Milton Keynes
- Santander, Grafton Gate East, Milton Keynes
Meanwhile, Barclays pulled down the shutters on four of its banks for the final time on September 1.
It has already announced more nearly 70 closures this year.
What you can do if your local branch closes
While the vast majority of banking customers are moving online, branches closing can leave some in the dark.
Many elderly people, particularly those in rural areas, rely on physical branches to carry out day-to-day tasks.
However, if you've been left stuck by a recent bank branch closure in your local area, you have some options.
Typically if there are no banks in a town, you should be able to do some basic banking in your local Post Office.
You won't be able to apply for a loan or open a new bank account at one though.
Many banks offer a mobile banking service - where your bank brings a bus to your area offering services you can usually get at your bank.
You should get in touch with your bank who will be able to tell you if they offer such a service and when it is next in your area.
Other banks use buildings such as village halls or libraries to offer mobile banking services.
Jenny Ross, money editor, previously told The Sun that just as cash becomes an increasingly important tool for people to keep track of their finances during the cost of living crisis, people are seeing their access to cash dwindle.
Some 4,685 bank branches have closed since 2015.
Jenny said this was equivalent to half the UK's branch network - with yet more set to close over the coming months.
"This closure of bank branches really does have an impact on everyone from smaller businesses to older or more vulnerable people," consumer expert Martyn James told The Sun.
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"Bank branches matter because they contain staff with links to the community who have wide ranging knowledge about a range of financial matters.”
Again, contact your bank to see what they might be able to do for you if you have been affected by a local bank closure.