Santander banks on digital, closing 95 branches and 750 jobs at risk

Santander has revealed plans to close 95 branches across the UK – including three in West Yorkshire – putting around 750 jobs at risk.

The Spanish-owned high street bank will also reduce operating hours at 36 locations and convert 18 branches into counter-free sites.

While a full list of branches that will close has been published, dates for all closures have not been confirmed yet.

The shift towards online banking has been cited as the primary reason for the closures, as digital transactions have surged by 63 per cent since 2019, while in-branch transactions have dropped by 61 per cent during the same period.

Three of these closures are in West Yorkshire and include Morley, Ilkley and Pudsey.

The Pudsey branch, at 5 Lidget Hill, shuts down on 28 July, while closure dates for the branches in Ilkley and Morley have not yet been confirmed.

Following these changes, Santander will operate 349 branches nationwide, including 290 full-service locations and five work cafés, offering free co-working spaces.

Santander has estimated that 93 per cent of the UK population will still be within 10 miles of a branch.