A total of 26 of its sites set for closure this year
Barclays, one of the UK’s leading high street banks, has announced plans to shut 15 more of its branches this year.
The news comes after 11 other sites has already been scheduled for closure in 2023, increasing the total number of branches shutting down to 26, on top of the 184 branches closed last year.
Barclays is not the only bank closing branches this year, with HSBC shutting 114 sites, NatWest closing 43, and Lloyds Bank shutting 14. Santander and Halifax plan to close five each, while Nationwide intends to close one.
Why are the bank branches closing?
“Our customers’ behaviour has changed significantly in recent years, with the majority choosing online banking,” a Barclays spokesperson said in a report by The Mirror. “As we adapt, we are closing less well-used branches while investing in brilliant customer service and digital technology.
“We are maintaining our community presence with alternative options for customers who still require in-person support. This includes our network of Barclays Local sites in libraries and community centres, bank pods and mobile vans, our cashback without purchase service, Shared Banking Hubs and everyday banking at the Post Office.”
Commenting on the Barclays branch closures, Tobias Gruber, founder and chief executive of credit broker My Community Finance, said that it was becoming increasingly common for banks to close their high street branches as more customers shift to online and digital banking methods.
“In the case of Barclays, the closure of these branches will result in cost savings for the bank, so I hope they choose to reinvest in improving their digital and telephone banking services for their loyal customers, as well as providing more ‘pop-up’ banks and support vans for their rural customers who may not have access to the internet,” he said.
Gruber advised affected Barclays customers who need branch access and don’t have alternative services nearby to consider switching to a bank with a physical branch in their area, but added that there are no guarantees that they will remain open for long.
As these high street banking giants continue to close branches, others believe that it opens up a new opportunity for mortgage brokers to offer personalised services.
Which Barclays branches are closing in 2023?
The following is the list of the additional 15 Barclays branches that are set to close this year:
- Bargoed (1 Hanbury Road CF81 8XA) on April 14, 2023
- Barnoldswick (5 Church Street BB18 5UR) on April 14, 2023
- Bishop Auckland (55 Front Street, Stanhope DL13 2TU) on April 21, 2023
- Flitwick (3 Station Road MK45 1JS) on April 14, 2023
- Guiseley (45 Oxford Road LS20 8AE) on April 12, 2023
- Hunstanton (42 High Street PE36 5AQ) on April 12, 2023
- Keswick (Market Square CA12 5BE) on April 21, 2023
- Leeds (390 Harrogate Road LS17 6PY) on April 21, 2023
- London (104/108 Tower Bridge Road SE1 3NG) on April 19, 2023
- London (260 Walworth Road SE17 1JF) on April 13, 2023
- London (304 Green Street E7 8LG) on April 20, 2023
- Macclesfield (10 Market Place SK10 1HA) on April 14, 2023
- Milton Keynes (8/10 High Street, Woburn Sands MK17 8RN) on April 18, 2023
- Shenfield (93-95 Hutton Road CM15 8JE) on April 19, 2023
- Warley (70 Birmingham Road, Rowley Regis B65 9BA) on April 21, 2023
Below is the list of Barclays sites earlier announced for closure:
- Amersham (4 Sycamore Road HP6 5DT) on January 3, 2023
- Birmingham (161 High Street, Kings Heath B14 7LA) on October 3, 2023
- Bridlington (6 Manor Street YO15 2RU) on June 3, 2023
- Dagenham (227/231 Heathway RM9 5AN) on March 3, 2023
- Ellesmere Port (100 Whitby Road CH65 0AD) on February 3, 2023
- Liskeard (The Parade PL14 6AR) on February 3, 2023
- Sittingbourne (85 High Street ME10 4AW) on August 3, 2023
- Sleaford (21 Market Place NG34 7SS) on August 3, 2023
- Swansea (16 Newton Road, Mumbles SA3 4AU) on July 3, 2023
- Torquay (39/40 Fleet Street TQ2 5DL) on August 3, 2023
- Weymouth (2B St Mary Street DT4 8PB) on March 3, 2023
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