The ongoing closure of bank branches around the country continues with Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) announcing its Newcastle city centre branch will close in October - one of 12 in the UK that the company is shutting.
The branch at 31, Grey Street will cease trading on Wednesday, October 12. A RBS spokesperson said: “As with many industries, most of our customers are shifting to mobile and online banking, because it’s faster and easier for people to manage their financial lives.
“We understand and recognise that digital solutions aren’t right for everyone or every situation, and that when we close branches we have to make sure that no one is left behind. We take our responsibility seriously to support the people who face challenges in moving online, so we are investing to provide them with support and alternatives that work for them.”
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The other RBS branches closing down are in London, Milton Keynes, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Sheffield, Wigan, Macclesfield, Bolton, Preston, Liverpool and Manchester. The closures will take the number of RBS branches to 90.
The long-standing Grey Street branch has been operational for more than 50 years, opening as a Williams & Glyn bank in 1969. ChronicleLive reported recently how Barclays Bank at The Forum Wallsend is to close in November, following closures earlier this year of Barclays branches in Gateshead and Chester-le-Street, and a NatWest branch in Gosforth.
Providing some context on the slump in customer demands at the RBS Grey Street branch, the spokesperson added: "The branch was used by two personal customers on a regular basis in 2019. Between 2017 and 2019, transactions decreased by 35%"
RBS has a dedicated support line for customers uncomfortable with or unable to use digital banking services. It is open 8am to 8pm, seven days a week - 0800 051 4177. Customer care experts will be able to guide people through how to register and use online and mobile services. RBS customers can use services at the nearby NatWest branch on Northumberland Street - or at the Post Office, also on Northumberland Street.
The online finance site YourMoney.com reports that this year "according to data provided to Link, the UK’s cash machine network, 325 bank branch closures have been announced by Barclays, Santander, NatWest, Nationwide, Ulster Bank, Lloyds, Halifax, Danske Bank, Lloyds and HSBC".
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