In a further blow to residents of a North London borough, Santander has become the latest bank to announce the closure of one of its branches as part of a shift to online banking. A further three branches in the surrounding area will also close their doors for good this summer, which will impact customers who rely on in-person services and put jobs at risk.
Santander has revealed that its Kilburn branch, located on High Road, will close permanently on June 17 – adding to the steady stream of banking closures that have taken place across Brent over the past few years.
Other branches in Barnet, Islington and Haringey will also shut, whilst two more have announced they are reducing hours and another will be counter-free.
The two Brent branches which will see their hours reduced are the Santander in Cricklewood Broadway – which will only open from 9.30am to 3pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and the Harlesden branch on High Street – which will open from 9.30am to 3pm on Tuesday and Thursday and from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Saturday.
Concerns have already been raised that disabled people and those with mobility issues will be most badly impacted by the branch closures in Brent, as they have to travel further afield to access an in-person service. Areas like Willesden Green have now been left with no branches at all, and there has been anger that gambling companies are trying to move in to many of the now vacant premises.
Company Cash Access has opened a ‘banking hub’ in Willesden Green Post Office to support these customers, and there is a drive for more of these types of models across the city. At the hub, customers can access services including cash withdrawals and deposits – both notes and coins – deposit cheques, pay utility bills, check account balances, and enable registered business customers to collect change.
It is also possible to talk to a banker from specific banks face-to-face in a private space for more complex enquiries, including payments and transfers and managing accounts as each bank provides a representative on a set day of the week.
Santander has announced it will close 95 branches across the country, including nine across London, putting 750 jobs at risk of redundancy. In North London, the Tottenham High Road branch will close on July 8, followed by the Holloway Road branch on July 14, alongside the Finchley Road branch on Ballards Lane, which will close on August 8.
Santander’s new network will include 349 branches: 290 ‘full-service’, 36 reduced hours and 18 counter-free. Counter-free branches enable customers to interact with staff face-to-face but without the traditional banking teller behind a counter.
A Santander spokesperson said: “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.”
Grant Williams is a journalist and Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) for Reach PLC, reporting on local government, politics and community issues across London. As part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he has contributed to Harrow Online, covering council decisions, housing developments, transport, planning matters and stories affecting local communities across Harrow and Brent.
