Santander making huge change to five branches in DAYS affecting 10,000s of customers

SANTANDER is axe a key service at several of its high street branches within days.

The major banking chain is scrapping counters at five locations and switching to a "counter-free" format.

Most transactions are to be made digital at these branches, and customers will no longer be able to speak to staff at counters and will instead be directed to use ATMs and payment machines.

The changes mean that customers will no longer be able to deposit or withdraw coins or large amounts of cash at these branches.

They're likely to have the biggest impact on customers who use cash, or small businesses that deposit their earnings at the end of the day.

Santander has said the changes are in response to changing customer behaviour and to ensure its branches are "fit for the future".

Branches in Gravesend and Liverpool's Allerton Road are to lose their counters on Monday, August 4.

Meanwhile, Camberley, Orpington and Rotherham locations will make the switch to digital transactions on August 11.

Santander has already removed counters from 13 branches so far this year.

Counters were axed from the Hartlepool and Nuneaton on July 14, while the change was introduced in Bracknell on July 7.

Branches in Bromsgrove, Northwich, Sittingbourne, and Streatham stopped offering counter services on Monday, June 30.

Customers at these branches who need to deposit or withdraw coins will have to visit another Santander branch or use a Post Office.

Cash withdrawals of over £500 a day will also need to be made elsewhere, as the service will be handled through in-branch ATMs rather than at a counter.

You can visit a Post Office branch if you wish to withdraw more cash from your debit card.

Post Office have a limit of £10,000 for this service, but it's subject to the funds available at the branch.

For withdrawals over £5,000, there is a £10 flat fee.

Withdrawals over £2,000 incur a charge of 50p per £100, while amounts above £5,000 are charged at 35p per £100.

A spokesperson for Santander said: "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."

Other changes happening at Santander

The closure of in-person counters isn't the only change coming for Santander branches.

The bank slashed the opening hours of dozens of locations from June 30.

These branches were previously open Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 3:00pm, with many also open on Saturdays from 9:30am to 12:30pm.

However, these locations are now open just three days a week.

Some 21 branches will operate on a Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday schedule, while 14 others will open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30am to 3:00pm.

One branch will see its hours reduced even further, opening only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The changes come as part of a broader restructuring plan announced in March, which also includes the closure of 95 branches and the conversion of 18 to "counter-free" desks.

Following the shake-up, just 349 branches will remain on the high street.

If you're local branch is set to close, you can use one of the Post Office’s 11,684 branches to perform basic banking tasks.

However, you won't be able to use it to open new bank accounts or take personal loans and mortgages.

You can find your nearest Post Office branch by visiting postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.