Nearly 400 towns across Britain are losing their last local bank as Barclays, Natwest, Lloyds and more announce high street closures.
In the past two years, since the beginning of 2022, some of the country’s biggest banks have declared the closure of 388 branches in areas with no other banking option for locals to access nearby, according to figures reported by The Mirror.
This year alone, a staggering 245 banks at least are due to close despite some areas already not having in-person banking facilities nearby.
In January, twelve branches belonging to major chains closed and in February it was expected that a further 38 would officially shut too.
Earlier this year, MailOnline reported how residents in Leiston, Suffolk will be left with no bank and will have to trek miles when their only one left, Barclays, closes its branch in May.
Locals will be left with little choice but a 90 minute trip to Lowestoft, 24 miles away or a 26-mile journey to access services in Ipswich.
Customers who choose to move to another bank will still have to travel seven miles to and from Saxmundham, which has a HSBC.
A Barclays spokesman said it was planning on opening a Barclays Local in the area instead which will offer cashless banking and customer support.
The popular bank previously announced the closures of at least 77 branches over this year and 2025 – this is in addition to the 157 branches it had closed in 2023.
It previously revealed that only 10% of transactions now take place face-to-face.
Labour has described the ‘ghost high streets’ – due to the number of bank closures, which come as more customers move to digital banking and in an attempt to save costs.