Bank hub planned for town as NatWest branch to shut

Plans for a banking hub have been unveiled for a Surrey town, as NatWest revealed it will close its local branch in 2027.

NatWest said on Friday it would be shutting its Godalming branch in February next year. The town's Lloyds bank branch closed in May.

LINK, the UK's cash access and cash machine network, said the hub would allow customers from all the major banks to access services such as withdrawing or paying in cash and paying bills.

"We know that many people still rely on and choose to use cash," Nick Quin, chief corporate affairs officer at LINK, said. "When it opens, the Godalming banking hub will be vital for the local community and high street."

NatWest announced a string of 32 branch closures, including the site in Godalming's High Street.

A NatWest spokesperson said if the banking hub opened before its planned closure, the branch would still stay open until February 2027.

It added that if the hub opened after that date, the bank would remain open until the hub launched.

Godalming is the latest banking hub to be planned in Surrey with hubs in Caterham, Dorking and Haslemere already open.

The hub will be delivered by Cash Access UK, which plans to look for potential sites and engage with the community over the next few weeks.

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