NINETEEN bank branches are set to close their doors for the final time in December.
A number of locations will pull down their shutters in England, Wales and England in a blow to households.
Barclays is shutting 11 branches while Lloyds is closing one and the Bank of Scotland three, according to LINK.
Meanwhile, Virgin Money is closing two, Halifax one and NatWest one.
It comes after hundreds of building society and bank branches closed their doors for good already this year.
Customers are increasingly turning to online banking to manage their finances while banks and building societies look for ways to cut costs.
Here is the full list of banks shutting for good in December, and their closure dates:
Barclays
- Woodbridge – December 1
- Orpington – December 1
- Whitley Bay – December 1
- Norwich – December 1
- Edmonton Green – December 7
- Whitby – December 8
- Hove – December 8
- Durham – December 8
- Bicester – December 13
- Soho Square, London – December 14
- Stourbridge – December 15
Lloyds
- St Neots – December 6
Bank of Scotland
- Dunkeld, Scotland – December 5
- Falkland, Scotland – December 5
- Dunoon, Scotland – December 5
Most read in Money
OPEN UP
Major update on future of Wilko shops as first to reopen in DAYS – ‘it’s good news’
HOLIDAYS ARE COMING
Coca-Cola Christmas truck tour dates revealed – is it coming to you?
CLOSING TIME
Full list of shops and pubs closing next week including M&S and Wetherspoons
FAMILY FURY
We paid £60k to cowboy builder – but he vanished… then gave depraved excuses
Virgin Money
- Liverpool – December 5
- Kendal – December 6
Halifax
- Denbigh, Wales – December 4
NatWest
- Henrietta Street, London – December 5
Dozens of branches will have closed for good by the end of November too, including seven NatWest locations, 12 Halifax and 28 Virgin Money.
Branches are closing across the UK including in Southampton, Bolton and Belfast.
What to do if your local bank branch closes
The vast majority of banking customers are moving online and don't need a physical branch as much as before.
But any closures can be an issue for others, particularly elderly people in rural areas who don't have access to the internet.
However, if your local branch is set to close, or has recently, you have some options.
You can carry out most basic banking tasks at your nearest Post Office.
You won't be able to apply for a loan or open a new bank account at one though.
You can find your nearest Post Office branch by using the locator tool on its website.
Meanwhile, many banks offer a mobile banking service – where they bring a bus to your area offering services you can usually get at a physical branch.
Other banks use buildings such as village halls or libraries to offer mobile banking services.
It's worth contacting your bank to see what services they have available, and when they might next be in your area.
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
Source: Read Full Article
