Banks closing

I’m near Durham and there’s a plethora of banks and building societies in the City. It must be something to do with the University students who come from all over the World to study.

It doesn’t make economic sense to keep a branch open for just a few people.

As a former bank clerk, I can assure you the writing is on the wall for any remaining branches.

Our market town has one bank open, no building societies, there used to be several of both, but think another 5 years will see the demise of many banks even in the city centres.

I know we think of banks as a ‘service’, but profit is all that matters to them at the end of the day.

I had my credit card rescinded by Barclays as I didn't have a UK address then I had to leave them altogether for the same reason. After 40 years of banking with them they offered no help at all with the account closure or moving elsewhere.
Reluctantly I decided to bank online as I needed a British account to have a pension paid in. I was worried about it all as I am not brilliant at doing things online. However I joined Wise and they were so helpful , sending me step by step instructions in an email, completely different experience from Barclays. I have had no problems at all with this account.

Our small market town now has no bank, though a mobile bank visits occasionally. There were always queues. Three of the ATMs have gone too, but Co-op and Sainsbury’s each have one. I avoid cash when possible but it is needed sometimes. I am happy to bank online, but I do have to go on the bus to another town if I need a bank.
There are many older people, also market traders and shopkeepers who need banks. Always long queues at the Post Office.
It is disappointing.

There is only one out of towncentre branch of my bank in our major city now. Even the one in a nearby large town we used to use has closed recently. I started online banking and using a banking app on my phone when the writing was on the wall for the last of our local branches, and that’s all very well until you need, for instance to transfer a large amount of money all in one go. Then you have no alternative other than making a forty five minute journey into the city centre branch. My local branch, fifteen minutes away, could have dealt with it in the blink of an eye because they knew us well for many years (And as for people not using them, there was always a queue outside!). But no, you are now treated by turns as if you are either a money laundering criminal or a drooling senior who doesn’t know who and what she is dealing with. Yes I know extra vigilance is needed for my benefit and I’m grateful for that, and yes, the lady who was dealing with me could not have been kinder or more helpful. But it’s all very frustrating. This is a rant against Barclays, not against the staff.

The last time I went to a bank was four years ago to sort out my Mother’s accounts after she died, that bank is 6 miles away.
We have three cash points in our village, no banks.
I bank totally online.

We had three banks in the nearest village a mile away the last bank closed two months ago. We have no bank within a five mile radius. Cash machines are few and far between and always out of order when one is working there is a scramble to use it. The bankers get richer and we customers get poorer as in the services they are not providing. It’s an absolute disgrace next we will be back to the days of money in mattresses.

My local branch bank closed last year. After lying empty for months the premises now being used as a community food bank. Sadly the queues there are longer than they were for the bank.

Banks no doubt are stopping having branches open as there is not enough people using them. I can't remember the last time I went to the bank must be over 10 years ago.
Can't even think of a reason I would need to go to the bank for.

Our bank was closed and we were expected to go 10 miles to the next town. Then that branch closed and we are now expected to go 40 miles. We now have one bank, Virgin Money in the town instead of the 4 we used to have, and how long will that last?

Our nearest small town now has no banks and the only way of withdrawing cash is to go to the PO during opening hours. No ATMs. The fact is that maintaining a physical presence is not cost effective when very few people use it, as was the case in our town. Traders now have to travel to another town to bank cash takings so are less happy to be paid in cash. It’s not satisfactory but is the perfect example of ‘use it or lose it’.

Same where we live. Is it our own fault I wonder, for being too reluctant to move our accounts when the banks are giving such a poor service to customers.
They need us as much as we need them.
However, when I tried this when our local Barclays closed, I was instructed to go online and do it myself.
A poor show.

Our village coop has a cash machine but that is the only one in our large village.

To be fair though, we rarely use cash at all, just some car parks - mostly council run ones.

I read online that the latest is to start charging when withdrawing money from an ATM and now that banks are closing they are also becoming few and far between.

I am fortunate my local Waitrose has an ATM which is not in the middle of a busy thoroughfare so I do feel safe withdrawing money from there.

I live in London and it is becoming dire here so heaven help those living in a village or small town.