Full list of 52 bank branches closing within DAYS as eight new banking hubs are coming – will you get one?

THOUSANDS of customers face having their bank branch close in April as 52 locations are set to shut forever.

The closures come as major high street banks opt to transition more of their banking services online.

Several major banks are shutting dozens of bank branches across England and Wales this month

Data from the UK’s largest cash machine network, LINK, keeps track of any planned branch closures across the UK.

Barclays will bring down the shutters on 22 of its branches this month and HSBC will close 11 outlets.

Halifax and Lloyds Bank both shut a six branches each by the end of April.

NatWest is also closing six of its own bank branches and the building society Nationwide is closing one at a single location this month.

Many people, particularly the elderly, still rely on in-person services and the closures will make it more difficult for this demographic to access accessible services.

But there are still a number of ways in which affected customers can access basic banking services without having to venture to the next town.

You can use one of the Post Office’s 11,635 branches to perform basic banking tasks — but not open new bank accounts or take personal loans and mortgages.

Many banks also offer a mobile banking service. This is where your bank brings a bus to your local area that has the services that are usually available at your branch.

You should call up your bank to see if it runs a banking bus and they will be able to tell you where and when it will be parked.

Other banks use buildings such as village halls or libraries to offer mobile banking services.

Banking hubs, which offer traditional shared services, have also been set up in four locations around the UK to help plug the gap — in Brixham, Cambuslang, Cottingham and Rochford.

There are plans to open dozens more hubs across the UK and the ATM provider LINK announced plans for a further eight new locations last week – taking the total number of planned hubs to 47.

How many new banking hubs are planned?

THE first four banking hubs were succesfully piloted last year in Brixham, Cambuslang, Cottingham and Rochford.

Following further branch closures LINK, the UK’s Cash Access and ATM network, has identified a further 47 locations which require banking hubs.

There are 35 banking hubs planned for England in:

Acton, London
Ampthill, Bedfordshire
Axminster, Devon
Barnoldswick, Lancashire
Barton, North Lincolnshire
Belper, Derbyshire
Buckingham, Buckinghamshire
Bury Park, Bedfordshire
Cheadle, Staffordshire
Clay Cross, Derbyshire
Downham Market, Norfolk
Earlestown, Merseyside
Haslemere, Surrey
Helston, Cornwall
Heywood, Rochdale
Hornsea, East Yorkshire
Horwich, Bolton
Knaresborough, Harrogate
Looe, Cornwall
Lutterworth, Leicestershire
Market Rasen, Lincolnshire
Maryport, Cumbria
Newton Aycliffe, County Durham
Oakham, Rutland
Otley, West Yorkshire
Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire
Shirebrook, Derbyshire
Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex
Sidmouth, Devon
Stapleford, Nottinghamshire
Syston, Leicestershire
Watton, Norfolk
Welling, London
Wellington, Somerset
Withernsea, East Yorkshire

A single banking hub is planned in Northern Ireland in:

Kilkeel, County Down

Seven banking hubs are planned for Scotland in:

Brechin, Angus
Carluke, South Lanarkshire
Carnoustie, Angus
Forres, Moray
Kilwinning, North Ayrshire
Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway
Troon, South Ayrshire

Four banking hubs are planned for Wales in:

Abergele, Conwy
Porthcawl, Bridgend
Prestatyn, Denbighshire
Welshpool, Powys

There isn’t a set date for when these hubs are expected to open but it’s expected that they’ll be up and running within the next 12 months.

Here is a full list of the 52 bank branches closing this month.

Barclays closures

Bargoed, Rhymney Valley – April 14Barnoldswick, Lancashire – April 14Bedale, North Yorkshire – April 26Bishop Auckland, County Durham – April 21Bridgwater, Somerset – April 26Flitwick, Bedfordshire – April 14Gosport, Hampshire – April 26Guiseley, West Yorkshire – April 12Heywood, Rochdale – April 28Hunstanton, Norfolk – April 12Keswick, Cumbria – April 21Leeds, West Yorkshire – April 21Macclesfield, Cheshire – April 14Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire – April 18Newham, London – April 20Oakham, Rutland – April 28Shenfield, Essex – April 19Southwark, London – April 13Stamford, Lincolnshire – April 28Tower Bridge Road, London – April 19Warley, Sandwell – April 21Wymondham, Norfolk – April 28

HSBC closures

Abergavenny, Monmouthshire – April 18Alton, Hampshire – April 25Bexhill-On-Sea, East Sussex – April 18Blandford Forum, Dorset – April 18Cromer, Norfolk – April 18Downend, South Gloucestershire – April 25Leominster, Herefordshire – April 25Market Bosworth, Leicestershire – April 25Shaftesbury, Dorset – April 25St Austell, Cornwall – April 18St Ives, Cornwall – April 18

Halifax closures

Aldershot, Hampshire – April 26Bangor, Gwynedd – April 17Chester Le Street, County Durham – April 19Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester – April 27Crouch End, Haringey – April 27Fenchurch Street, City of London – April 19

Lloyds Bank closures

Beckenham, Bromley – April 20Chingford, Waltham Forest – April 25Dagenham, Barking and Dagenham – April 26Gillingham, Kent – April 25Norbury, London – April 19Pontefract, West Yorkshire – April 20

NatWest closures

Blackpool, Lancashire – April 25Fleet, Hampshire – April 27Heslington, Yorkshire and the Humber – April 27Clapham, London – April 26Southampton, Hampshire – April 25Stroud, Gloucestershire – April 26

Nationwide closures

Kingswood, South Gloucestershire – April 20

Which bank has the most branches?

If you prefer to do your banking in a branch, then it’s getting increasingly difficult.

Despite closures, there may be a local one near you that you’d prefer to visit.

For example, Lloyds Banking Group still operates more than 1,000 branches across the country across its Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland brands.

How do I switch bank account?

It’s easy to switch your bank account using the Current Account Switch Service (CASS).

You don’t have to remember to move direct debits over when moving as it does this everything for you.

All you have to do is apply for the new account you want and the new bank will let your existing provider know you’re moving.

There are some steps you can take before switching though, such as choosing your switch date or organising transferring your old bank statements to your new account.

To get your old statements you should get in touch with your bank.

How to find the best bank accounts

Don’t waste time looking at individual banking sites – it’ll take you an eternity.

Research websites like MoneyFacts.co.uk and price comparison websites such as Compare the Market, Go Compare and MoneySupermarket will help save you time and show you the best rates available.

These sites let you tailor your searches to an account type that suits you.

  Read More 

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