**Wave of Bank Closures Set to Hit High Streets Across Wales This Summer**
A fresh wave of bank branch closures is sweeping across Wales this summer, with nine branches set to shut their doors for the final time. This latest round of closures highlights the ongoing shift in how customers manage their finances, with increasing numbers favouring online and app-based services, leading the traditional high street banks to further scale back their physical presence.
An analysis of publicly-available data reveals that between June and August, a total of 138 bank branches will close across the UK. Within Wales, Santander dominates the list, reflecting the bank’s wider strategic move to reduce its branch network nationwide. The latest scheduled closure is for Santander’s Holywell branch on 69 High Street, which will cease operations on Wednesday, 13th August. This will mark the end of a summer during which communities across Wales have seen their local banking options dwindle further.
July alone saw three key closures: Santander branches in Caernarfon and Colwyn Bay, and the Halifax branch in Pontypridd. In June, five more branches vanished from Welsh high streets, including Santander outlets in Blackwood, Aberdare and Brecon, along with Lloyds branches in Pembroke Dock and Tonypandy.
The closures follow Santander’s earlier announcement that it would be shutting 95 branches across the UK this year. It is part of a much broader trend, with numerous major banks such as Barclays, HSBC, NatWest and Lloyds also reducing their high street footprint. In total, since a voluntary agreement was introduced in February 2022 — requiring banks to carefully assess the impact of each closure — at least 1,879 branches have shut or are scheduled for closure. This equates to an average of nearly 50 closures announced every month, or about 12 each week, underlining the scale of change facing Britain’s banking landscape.
The agreement, known as the LINK initiative, was designed to ensure that vulnerable individuals, elderly residents and small business owners would not be left stranded in the shift towards digital and cashless banking. Where closures leave a community without any local banking facilities, alternative measures such as ‘banking hubs’ and free-to-use ATMs are promised in an effort to bridge the gap and prevent financial exclusion.
However, local feedback suggests concern remains high among residents and business owners. Some fear that vital face-to-face support is being lost, particularly for people who lack internet access or prefer managing their finances in person. Rural areas and small towns are said to be especially vulnerable, as they rely more heavily on the human touch offered by local branches.
In statements following each closure announcement, bank representatives have consistently underlined that such decisions are not taken lightly. A spokesperson for Santander reiterated earlier this year: “Closing a branch is always a very difficult decision. We invest considerable time assessing where and when closures take place and strive to minimise any impact on our customers.”
The list of bank branches closing in Wales this summer is as follows:
– Santander, 148 High Street, Blackwood
– Santander, 17 Victoria Square, Aberdare
– Santander, 18 High Street, Brecon
– Lloyds, 35 Dimond Street, Pembroke Dock
– Lloyds, 33 Dunraven Street, Tonypandy
– Santander, 1 Bridge Street, Caernarfon
– Santander, 16 Penrhyn Road, Colwyn Bay
– Halifax, 2/3 Mill Street, Pontypridd
– Santander, 69 High Street, Holywell
As the landscape evolves, the banking sector maintains it is committed to supporting customers through the transition. Interactive maps and online tools are available to help people find any remaining local services or identify the nearest alternative. Questions remain, though, regarding whether the pace of closures risks leaving some communities behind.
With digital banking now the norm for many, banks argue the changes reflect modern consumer preferences. Yet, as the high street sees another round of closures, the debate continues as to how best to safeguard access to essential financial services for everyone in Wales.