Santander branches in Blyth and Whitley Bay to close later this year

The bank has provided a list of places where its high street facility will shut its doors later this year.

They include 22 Regent Street, Blyth, and 269 Whitley Road, Whitley Bay, on August 5 and August 6 respectively.

Santander says that these locations ‘will be covered by new Santander Community Bankers providing face-to-face money management and general support for customers, visiting local communities weekly, as well as attending local Banking Hubs’.

Statistics that the bank has mentioned to accompany the announcement include a 63% increase in digital transactions since 2019, while financial transactions completed in branches reduced by 61% in the same period.

A spokesperson for Santander UK, said: “As customer behaviour changes, we are ensuring that our branches remain fit for the future.

“Our new combination of full-service branches, alongside Work Cafés, counter-free branches and reduced hours branches, aims to provide the right balance between digital banking and face-to-face money management and guidance.

“Closing a branch is always a very difficult decision and we spend a great deal of time assessing where and when we do this and how to minimise the impact it may have on our customers.

“However, we believe that the introduction of our new Community Bankers and the exciting plans we have for our remaining network of 349 branches and Work Cafés, alongside the rapid and innovative improvements to our award-winning mobile banking app, will provide the right balance of digital banking and human interaction when required.”