05.02.2026 22:40
The rise of digital banking in the UK is rapidly rendering physical branches obsolete, while the NatWest Group has decided to close dozens of its new branches. As the bank that has experienced the largest contraction in a country where thousands of branches have closed in the last decade, NatWest announced that it will continue to provide services through mobile services and alternative channels.
As the banking sector undergoes a profound transformation, physical branches are rapidly becoming a thing of the past.
DEV BANK ANNOUNCED THE CLOSURE OF 32 BRANCHES
NatWest, one of the largest banking groups in the UK, announced that it has decided to close 32 more of its branches throughout the year. While the bank's management emphasized that the decision was not made lightly, they noted that the vast majority of customers now conduct their transactions through mobile applications and online platforms.
MORE THAN 6,000 BANK BRANCHES HAVE CLOSED
According to SkyNews, more than 6,000 bank branches have closed across the UK in the last decade. The majority of these closures occurred in banks under the NatWest Group. The group, which includes NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Ulster Bank, has become the bank that has downsized the most in the country by closing over 1,500 branches to date.
MILLIONS OF POUNDS IN NEW INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PLANNED
NatWest officials emphasized that despite the closure of branches, banking services will not be interrupted. The bank announced that access to customers will continue through mobile branches, community banking centers, postal partnerships, and a nationwide network of free ATMs. It was also announced that millions of pounds in new infrastructure investment are planned for this process.