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Chronicle Live

National

Emma Munbodh & Aaron Morris

NatWest to shut 32 branches across the UK including one in North East - see the full list

NatWest United Kingdom Royal Bank of Scotland London

The United Kingdom's largest business and commercial bank has announced the closure of 32 branches across England and Wales, which will take place over the course of the next twelve months.

Commonly known as NatWest, the National Westminster Bank have revealed the closures come about due to a drop in high street use since the beginning of the global Coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

This has led executives to make the decision to cut lesser used stores across the nation reports The Mirror.

Go here for more what's on updates, news and reviews from around the North East

One branch which will be completely closed down due to the cuts, is the longstanding NatWest branch on Gosforth's High Street in Newcastle.

Addressing concerns about how the closures will impact groups such as the elderly, the high street bank said it 'will contact vulnerable customers to ensure they can continue to bank with us in the way which suits them best,' ahead of the closures.

It added that a new postal cash delivery and Companion Card service has been rolled out nationwide for vulnerable customers.

The latest round of cuts comes just weeks after it emerged two Post Office branches are closing every week in the UK, leaving "huge gaps" in communities and impacting the elderly, carers and those in rural areas hardest.

Citizens Advice warned 206 post offices have closed in the last two years, the equivalent of two closing each week.

In addition, 1,291 branches are currently deemed “temporarily closed”, but almost six in 10 of these have been shut for more than two years, the report said.

A NatWest 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.”

The Royal Bank of Scotland will also see branch closures across England and Wales (PA)

The number of jobs affected is unknown however NatWest said staff will be redeployed where possible.

A statement added: "For the vast majority of colleagues at closing branches, we will look to redeploy them to suitable roles within the branch network.

"For the small number of colleagues placed at risk as a result of this announcement, we will seek to manage any redundancies on a voluntary basis, and also explore where possible, redeployment opportunities."

NatWest last cut roles in 2020, when it terminated the positions of 550 employees in its retail business division and shut one of its London offices.

A NatWest spokesman at the time said: "We have taken the decision to invite applications for voluntary redundancy and will support those colleagues who apply with a comprehensive support package. There will be no compulsory redundancy as a result of this announcement."

NatWest also closed it Regents House office in London, which was home to one of the bank's biggest tech hubs and had space for 2,500 workers.

"We have been reviewing our London property strategy to better reflect how we will work in the future," a NatWest spokeswoman said.

"As a result, we will exit Regents House, and will reconfigure our London remaining properties at 250 Bishopsgate and 440 Strand."

Below are all the branches affected by the latest restructuring.