So I visited my nearest Santander branch last Tuesday to deal with some payment thing; one of those things you can’t manage on the app because it’s too much faffing around. Huge sign on the door: “This branch will close permanently on 30th July 2025.”
What?!
I’m standing there like a mug reading this notice, and this elderly bloke behind me goes, “Third bank on this high street to shut in two years. “What are we supposed to do now?” That’s when it hit me: the Santander UK branch closures backlash isn’t just angry customers moaning online. It’s real people getting proper shafted.
The Numbers Are Mental
OK, so this is what’s really happening. Santander said they plan to close 95 branches in 2025, leaving 750 jobs at risk. That’s not just a trim; it’s a significant reduction in their high street presence.
In June 2025, 23 branches were closed, and 37 more were shut down in July, with more to come, apparently. My local branch was in that July lot, which explains the sign that nearly gave me a heart attack.
However, here’s the catch: Santander must allocate £42m for “charges related to changes to our branch network”. Forty-two million quid! That’s how much this mess is costing them in compensation and legal stuff.
My Nan’s Going Mental
This whole thing really hit home when I spoke to my nan about the closing of my branch. She’s 82, banks with Santander and absolutely refuses to use online banking. “I want to talk to a person,” she says. Can’t blame her really.
She also has been with the same Santander branch for 15 years. She knows everyone on staff by name, and they all know her. Now they’re telling her to use their “community bankers” who’ll pop into libraries and community halls. Libraries! My nan can hardly make it to the shops, let alone stalk banking staff through community centres.
The Santander UK branch closures backlash makes perfect sense when you think about people like her. She’s not being difficult; she just wants to bank the way she’s always banked.
Everyone’s Fuming
I’ve been asking around, and everyone’s got a horror story. My mate’s mum had to go 45 minutes away to the nearest branch just for a banker’s draft. One other bloke at work told how his local business banking is now a nightmare because the closest branch is three towns away.
This year alone, 29 Santander branches are shutting or have been closed in Scotland, over and above the 38 that shut last year. That’s mental when you think about rural communities losing their last bank.
The thing that really gets people wound up is Santander’s excuse. “Our customers are choosing to use mobile banking and online banking,” they say. Yeah, some customers are. But what about the ones who aren’t? What about the ones who can’t?
The Staff Are Getting Shafted Too
Here’s something that’s not getting enough attention: there are 750 jobs at risk. That’s 750 people who might lose their livelihoods because Santander wants to save money on rent and wages.
I chatted to one of the staff at my closing branch. She’s been there eight years, loves her job, and knows all the regular customers. Now she’s looking at redundancy or relocating to a branch an hour away. “It’s not just a job,” she said. “We’re part of the community here.”
That’s the bit that really winds me up. These aren’t just cost centres on a spreadsheet; they’re people’s careers, people’s connections to their community.
The Digital Divide Is Real
Santander keeps banging on about everyone using apps and online banking, but that’s complete tosh for loads of people. My dad’s 67, tried online banking once, got locked out of his account, and swore he’d never do it again.
The bank’s also reducing opening hours at some locations and converting others to “counter-free” formats. Counter-free! So you can talk to staff but not actually do proper banking. What’s the point of that?
It’s like they’re deliberately making it harder to bank in person, then using low footfall as justification for more closures. Proper sneaky if you ask me.
Small Businesses Getting Hammered
This is where the Santander UK branch closures backlash gets really serious. Small businesses rely on branch banking way more than regular punters do. Cash deposits, business loans, meeting with relationship managers; you can’t do that stuff properly online.
My local café owner’s been with Santander for twenty years. Now his nearest branch is fifteen miles away. “How am I supposed to bank my takings every day?” he asked. “Drive thirty miles round trip? It’s mental.”
Businesses are jumping ship to other banks or credit unions that still have local branches. Santander’s shooting themselves in the foot here.
The Excuses Don’t Add Up
Santander says they’re introducing “community bankers” who’ll visit libraries and community centres from June 2025. Sounds good on paper, but it’s basically admitting they know people need face-to-face banking while simultaneously making it much harder to get.
My local library is open three days a week and shuts at 4 pm. How’s that supposed to replace a branch that was open six days and did evening hours?
It feels like they’re ticking a box rather than actually solving the problem.
Other Banks Are Watching
What really worries me is other banks seeing Santander get away with this massive closure programme. If the backlash isn’t big enough, if people just accept it and move to online banking, every other bank will follow suit.
We’re heading for a future where high street banking just doesn’t exist. That might be fine for tech-savvy people in cities, but it’s a disaster for elderly customers, small businesses, and rural communities.
Fighting Back
The good news is people aren’t taking this lying down. Local councils are kicking off, MPs are asking questions, and customer groups are organising protests. That £42 million provision Santander had to make shows this backlash is costing them real money.
My nan’s joined a campaign group demanding banks provide proper local services. Never thought I’d see the day she’d become a banking activist, but here we are.
What Happens Next?
Santander’s clearly committed to this closure programme, but the backlash is getting louder. They might slow down the closures or offer better alternatives, but I doubt they’ll reverse course completely.
For customers like my nan, it means learning new ways of banking whether they like it or not. For communities losing their last bank, it means fighting to keep some kind of financial services local.
The Santander UK branch closures backlash isn’t just about one bank making business decisions. It’s about whether we want a society where you need a smartphone and decent internet to manage your money.
I know which side I’m on. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to help my nan set up online banking. This is going to be a long afternoon.
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