Santander axing key service within days with thousands of customers warned

Santander, which is rivalled by NatWest, Nationwide, Lloyds, Barclays, Halifax and more, is axing a key service at 12 high street branches within days

A major bank is axing a key service at 12 branches within days. Santander, which is rivalled by NatWest, Nationwide, Lloyds, Barclays, Halifax and more, is axing a key service at 12 high street branches within days.

Santander has already removed counters from six of its branches this year, but another 12 are set to lose the service in the coming weeks. The branches impacted include Bromsgrove in Worcestershire on June 30, as well as Northwich, Sittingbourne, and Streatham.

Bracknell follows on July 7, alongside Hartlepool and Nuneaton in Warwickshire a week later. Liverpool and Gravesend follow on August 4, before Camberley, Orpington, and Rotherham on August 11.

A spokesperson for Santander UK, said in a statement alongside the move: "As customer behaviour changes, we are ensuring that our branches remain fit for the future.

"Our new combination of full-service branches, alongside Work Cafés, counter-free branches and reduced hours branches, aims to provide the right balance between digital banking and face-to-face money management and guidance.

"As a business, we must move with customers and balance our investment across all the places where we interact with customers, to deliver the very best for them now and in the future."

Which branches are already counter-free?

Abingdon - 23 Bury Street, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 3QT

Accrington - 29-31 Union Street, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 1PL

Stirling - 49-51 Port Street, Stirling, Stirlingshire, FK8 2EW

Eastleigh - 58 Market Street, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO50 5RU

Edgware - 115 Station Road, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 7JG

Neath - 20 Green Street, Neath, West Glamorgan, SA11 1EA

It comes after Santander announced a new partnership with Worldpay, a global leader in payments technology and solutions.

Santander UK and Worldpay have joined forces to provide better merchant services for customers, using advanced digital technology. The partnership will offer Santander customers secure, scalable and efficient merchant payment solutions.