Public meeting as another bank closure approaches

10 hours ago

News image — Santander's Berwick-upon-Tweed branch will close in on 28 April

Google A branch of Santander in a white historic building with grey window frames is shown with other shops alongside. Two black bollards are in front of the building. — Santander's Berwick-upon-Tweed branch will close in on 28 April

A public meeting is being held on Thursday ahead of the closure of a town's bank.

Santander plans to shut its doors in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, on 28 April leaving its nearest branch in Galashiels, 40 miles (64km) away across the Scottish border.

The gathering, at 18:00 GMT at Berwick Town Hall, has been called by North Northumberland Labour MP David Smith who described the closure as "a serious blow and one not fully understood by the decision makers".

Santander said the decision is in response to a "continuing and sizeable shift towards digital banking" but it will maintain a weekly presence in the community.

The forthcoming closure of Santander's Berwick branch follows a familiar pattern across Northumberland over the last decade.

Towns including Alnwick, Seahouses, Amble and Bedlington are now without any banks at all.

Nationally, according to the consumer group Which, more than 6,600 banks have closed since 2015 with a further 228 branches scheduled for closure in 2026.

David Smith David Smith is a man in his 40s, clean-shaven with greying hair wearing a blue jacket with his hands in his pockets. He is standing in Berwick's high street with cars parked on one side and a row of shops going down the hill to a clock tower at the bottom. — The public meeting has been arranged by Labour's North Northumberland MP David Smith

Smith argues rural areas feel the impact most.

"Expecting people to travel from Berwick to Morpeth or Galashiels for basic banking is unrealistic," he said.

"The journey takes around an hour by car on a good day and considerably longer by public transport."

Santander is the only bank still open on Berwick's main shopping street but the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Bank of Scotland have branches elsewhere in the town.

Getty Images An aerial view of Berwick showing the River Tweed and its two historical bridges. The Elizabethan ramparts are visible — Berwick will still have two banks open but many towns in Northumberland have none

Independent county councillor Nicole Brooke, whose Berwick North ward includes the town centre, said the closure would be particularly hard for people who rely on "face-to-face banking".

"What matters now is establishing a banking hub so that essential services remain accessible to everyone, particularly those who cannot simply switch to online banking," she said.

Mayor John Robertson described the closure as "a significant loss" and explained: "Berwick is a town that serves a wide surrounding area and the loss of another bank branch will be felt by many."

In a statement, Santander UK said: "Where we have announced a branch closure, we maintain a weekly in-person service for our customers in the community."

A spokesperson added: "We will continue to invest in both our face-to-face customer network - comprising of branches, Santander Locals, Banking Hubs and our increasingly popular Work Cafés – as well as our digital banking services, so we can be there to support our customers however they choose to bank with us."

A representative from Santander will attend the meeting at Berwick Town Hall.

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