Analysis by consumer watchdog Which? shows that 67% of bank branches in the UK have closed over the past decade. There have been 6,609 closures from January 2015 to December 2024. NatWest led the closures with 1,431 branches, followed by Lloyds Banking Group with 1,252. Meanwhile, 1,230 Barclays branches have closed, as well as 477 Santander sites and 743 HSBC branches. This year alone, 381 bank and building society branches have shut, with 51 still scheduled to shut before the end of the year and 71 already lined up to close in 2026. The closures come amid a fall in footfall and a shift to online banking.

Source: Daily Mail 

BFS Comment:

This just confirms what we have all assumed over the past 10 years. The main UK ‘Public-facing’ Banks are no longer interested in servicing SME’s and smaller businesses. Their reasons for doing this are generally well understood but the net result has to make it far more difficult for small businesses to raise the finance they need to trade and grow. Gone are the days of personal contact and speed of communication with your local business bank manager.

If you find your business in this situation then contact us at Business Finance Services and ask for one of our free, ‘No-strings’ consultations to explore your finance options. Simply call John on 07809 361664, e-mail him at john@bufinserv.co.uk or visit us at www.bufinserv.co.uk .