Santander will shut 40 high street branches by end of May 2026 with 291 jobs at risk as customers shift to digital banking
16:46, 07 Apr 2026Updated 17:13, 07 Apr 2026
Stock image of a Santander bank ATM machine(Image: Getty)
Santander is set to shut dozens of its high street branches across the UK before the end of May. The Spanish banking giant announced at the beginning of the year that 44 of its locations nationwide would close, with four already shutting in January.
The bank confirmed that an additional 40 branches would cease operations by May’s end, attributing the decision to customers increasingly turning to online services. The company revealed that 96% of customer transactions are now conducted through digital channels.
The lender also disclosed that 291 positions were under threat as a consequence of these closures. This latest round follows less than 12 months after Santander revealed in March 2025 that it would shut 95 branches, impacting 750 staff members.
And sadly, four Northern Ireland branches will be closing. Later this month will see the branch in Bangor, County Down, shut on April 29. Then Glengormley, Co Antrim closes on May 6, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh on May 12 and Banbridge, Co Down on May 19. Seven branches in Northern Ireland closed last year with Dungannon, Magherafelt, Portadown, Armagh, Strabane, Downpatrick and Larne all losing banking facilities. It’s not known if Northern Ireland staff will be redeployed or among those at risk.
Last July, Mike Regnier, who was then Santander’s UK chief executive, revealed that approximately 2,000 jobs had been cut in the previous year as part of the bank’s reorganisation. At that time, he indicated that additional redundancies were “might well be” probable.
Santander has committed that branches facing closure will be replaced by “community bankers” operating through Santander Local outlets or shared banking hubs. The bank maintains this arrangement will ensure continued access to services for customers in communities affected by the shutdowns, reports the Mirror.
The wave of closures will commence by April 2026’s end, with additional sites following in May. The complete list of affected branches in this latest round, along with their closure dates, is detailed below.
Branches closing in April 2026:Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland – April 28Boston, Lincolnshire – April 28Evesham, Worcestershire – April 28Mold, Clwyd – April 28Ramsgate, Kent – April 28Woking, Surrey – April 28Bangor, County Down – April 29Bridgwater, Somerset – April 29Kirkintilloch, Lanarkshire – April 29Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire – April 29Newbury, Berkshire – April 29Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire – April 29Tonbridge, Kent – April 29Branches closing in May 2026Bishop Auckland, County Durham – May 5Gosport, Hampshire – May 5Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire – May 5Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire – May 5Pontefract, West Yorkshire – May 5Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire – May 5Glengormley, County Antrim – May 6Leyland, Lancashire – May 6Mansfield, Nottinghamshire – May 6Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan – May 6Northallerton, North Yorkshire – May 6Ringwood, Hampshire – May 6Andover, Hampshire – May 12Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan – May 12Enniskillen, County Fermanagh – May 12Macclesfield, Cheshire – May 12Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire – May 12Cwmbran, Gwent – May 13Golders Green, London – May 13Heswall, Merseyside – May 13Redditch, Worcestershire – May 13Stranraer, Wigtownshire – May 13Newton Abbot, Devon – May 19Stafford, Staffordshire – May 19Banbridge, County Down – May 19Liskeard, Cornwall – May 20Shirley, West Midlands – May 20