Barclays announces it is closing ANOTHER 27 branches bringing total number shutting this year to 103

Barclays has announced it is closing another 27 branches, bringing the total number of sites shutting their doors this year to 103.

The bank had previously confirmed it was closing 63 of its branches this year amid changing habits of consumers and a pivot towards internet banking. 

The vast majority of these closures have already taken place, but the locations of 40 branches which will close in June, July and August have now been revealed. 

Britain’s High Street banks have been in decline for decades, with the big firms closing branches as usage dips and more and more customers do their banking online.

However, the closures sparked fears that elderly, vulnerable and people living in rural areas are effectively being ‘cut adrift’.

Figures show that Britain lost nearly 5,000 High Street banks between 2012 and 2021, with only 8,810 open last year. 

According to consumer magazine Which? the latest announcement from Barclays comes as the bank confirmed less than 10 per cent of transactions are done in person.

A Barclays spokesperson said: ‘We continue to review and adjust our branch footprint to ensure it reflects the way that our customers are increasingly choosing to do their banking.

‘We will always give twelve weeks’ notice of any branch closures, explaining the rationale for the decision, as well as highlighting alternative branches and ways to bank.

‘This includes working with the local community to find different, more flexible ways for our colleagues to continue to provide local banking support, such as through pop-up presences.’  

Rocio Concha of consumer group Which? said: ‘Barclays is right to say that consumers’ banking habits are becoming more digital.

‘However, there remains a significant minority, for whom cash is a vital lifeline to pay for everyday essentials and keep track of their spending, that aren’t yet ready or willing to make that switch.’

Which has also revealed that between them 10 of the largest banks in the UK are going to close 486 branches this year. 

Barclays has already closed 63 and is set to close 40 more, while HSBC has shut one and will close 69 more. 

Lloyds group, which includes Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, has shut 47 and will close 88. 

NatWest, which includes Royal Bank of Scotland, has closed 31 and is scheduled to close 24.

TSB has closed 39 and will shut 31 more, while Virgin Money has shuttered 29 and will do so to one more branch.

Nationwide, the UK’s largest building society, will close three branches having already shut four. 

Danske Bank is set to close four, Metro Bank will shut three and Ulster Bank will close the doors of nine. 

Meanwhile, Santander will not close any branches, but will reduce opening hours, with some moving to half days. 

A full list of branch closures by all banks and building societies can be found on the website of Link, which is the UK’s largest cash machine network. 

In March HSBC announced plans to axe 69 branches in the UK, only a year after it closed 82 as part of its ‘transformation programme’.

With thousands of banks now gone from High Streets up and down the UK, groups such as the Post Office have stepped in to provide every-day over-the-counter banking services for people in rural communities.

But campaigners and charities for the elderly say the decision to close village and town centre banks is proving ‘extremely damaging’ for local communities and a ‘serious blow’ for millions of older Britons.

Banking experts meanwhile have warned that while previous cuts have been to small rural branches, banks are now increasingly shutting sites in medium-sized towns.

And there are fears even some large towns of 100,000 people or more may be left without any dedicated branches within a decade.

Business chiefs have warned also about the perils of the UK moving completely cashless, saying the Russia-Ukraine conflict has exposed the potential pitfalls of relying on online banking.

But this issue is not just a rural one. The constituency of Erith and Thamesmead in East London has also lost all of its remaining banks in the past six years. Barclays pulled the last bank in the constituency in February last year.

Caroline Abrahams, Age UK Charity Director, said: ‘Many older people value the services provided by bank branches, in particular the human touch that a counter service can provide, so it’s a concern that more and more local bank branches are not only closing, but also restricting opening hours for customers.

‘The scale of the bank branch cull over recent years has been extremely damaging for so many local communities nationwide and a serious blow for the millions of older people who rely on them, particularly those who are not online or confident with mobile banking.

‘It’s well known that a rapid move towards online banking over the past few years has caused significant problems for many older customers, particularly those with visual impairments and dexterity problems.

‘These problems are exacerbated when branch closures coincide with poor public transport locally, a lack of ATMs, substandard internet service and mobile black spots, making it increasingly difficult for customers to access their money.

‘The recent announcement by the banks about how they will protect cash through shared banking hubs, Post Offices and community cashback is welcome. However, some customers are still at risk of being cut adrift and the banks should do everything they can to ensure the continued provision of essential banking services for years to come.’