Santander to transform its UK branch network as it invests for the future but Downpatrick branch is closing in August 2025
The Downpatrick branch of the Spanish-owned Santander Bank located in the heart of Downpatrick’s shopping area in Market Street is to close on the 6th August 2025.
This announcement today will come as a great shock to its many customers in the County Down area following on from the more recent closures of the First Trust Bank, Bank of Ireland and the Ulster Bank in the town of Downpatrick, all located in Market Street.
The last bank remaining in Downpatrick is the Danske Bank, also located in Market Street.
This is a blow once again to the business heart of Downpatrick, where many businesses were directly impacted with the recent flood from the River Quoile, along with many other businesses who were not flooded directed but experienced disruption to trade.
In the past two years Downpatrick has struggled to get back on its feet and is making some progress, but the closure of the Santander branch shows a worrying trend that leaves many people concerned whether they be businesses or have personal accounts.
And Santander said there were to be 750 redundancies spread across the UK.
There will no doubt be a significant political reaction, but Santander seems set for a major overhaul of its branches.
***
Santander branch closure a blow to Downpatrick says Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason has said the closure of Downpatrick’s Santander branch will be a blow to the entire community.
She was speaking after the bank announced a raft of closures across Britain and the North.
The South Down MLA said: “This is a major blow to the local community in Downpatrick and the surrounding areas that rely on this branch for their banking needs.
“My immediate thoughts are with the workers impacted by this announcement who now face an uncertain future. All efforts must be made by Santander to redeploy and re-skill workers from this branch.”
Ms Mason also highlighted the key role banks play in local communities, and said she will be contacting Santander to raise concerns.
“Bank branches provide an essential service for many, particularly local people and small businesses who depend on in-person support. The loss of this branch will be particularly difficult for our elderly and those in rural areas who may struggle with digital banking, and now face longer journeys to access banking facilities.
“I will be contacting both Santander and the Financial Conduct Authority to raise my concerns and seek assurances on what measures will be put in place to support our community and the workers affected by this decision.”
Santander Explains The Reasons For The Sweeping UK-Wide Changes
- Santander announces changes to branch network to enable the bank to better serve the changing needs of its customers.
- The changes involve the closure of 95 branches/ across the UK with new Community Bankers providing local communities with ongoing face-to-face support in these locations.
- Refreshed network to consist of 349 branches, including 290 full-service branches, 36 reduced hours branches, 18 counter-free branches and five Work Cafés.1
- Santander will continue to invest in its branch network, digital, chat and telephone banking services, including its ongoing branch refurbishment programme, the development of Work Cafés, and enhancements to its new mobile banking app.
- The bank actively supports growth in shared Banking Hubs and Community Access to Cash initiatives.
Santander has today announced plans to update its branch network starting from from June 2025 to better serve the changing needs of its customers.
The bank will be changing the format of a number of branches to include 18 counter-free and 36 reduced hours branches, alongside its 290 full-service branches and five Work Cafés.1
As part of the changes, 95 of the bank’s existing 444 branches will be closed.
These locations will be covered by new Santander Community Bankers providing face-to-face money management and general support for customers, visiting local communities weekly, as well as attending local Banking Hubs.
The bank is also investing in more Work Cafés, with two new Work Cafés recently opened, and an additional site to be announced shortly.
The Work Café concept, which Santander is rolling out globally, provides a hub for local communities and businesses, including co-working space, superfast WiFi and dedicated event space – which can be accessed for free by customers and non-customers alike.
In addition to the bank’s Work Cafés, it has invested tens of millions of pounds in a branch investment programme over the last two years, refurbishing 99 branches, with a further 50 branches due to be completed over the coming year.
The newly refurbished branches include a digital self-serve room providing customers with privacy as well as the space to talk to specific teams, and access online banking.
The bank also continues to enhance its mobile banking app, chat service and telephone banking, to support customers. This includes further development of its new mobile banking app launched in 2024, which won a Digital Banker Award for Financial Inclusion in October, as well as investment in innovative digital support, such as the bank’s My Home Manager app.
The bank has seen a rapid movement of customers choosing to do their banking digitally, with a 63% increase in digital transactions since 2019, while financial transactions completed in branches reduced by 61% in the same period. In addition, since 2019, the bank has seen:2
- 82% of current accounts opened digitally
- 56% increase in mobile banking users
- 89% increase in mobile banking app transactions
- 73% increase in mobile logins (up to 1.9bn)
A spokesperson for Santander UK, 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.
“Closing a branch is always a very difficult decision and we spend a great deal of time assessing where and when we do this and how to minimise the impact it may have on our customers.
“However, we believe that the introduction of our new Community Bankers and the exciting plans we have for our remaining network of 349 branches and Work Cafés, alongside the rapid and innovative improvements to our award-winning mobile banking app, will provide the right balance of digital banking and human interaction when required.”
Following the changes, 93% of the UK population will continue to be within 10 miles of a Santander branch. All Santander current and business account holders can also bank using one of over 11,000 Post Office branches nationwide and 112 Banking Hubs.
Closing branches are all within one mile of the nearest Post Office.
To support the changes, Santander will be proactively contacting all potentially vulnerable customers by phone and will assist those customers of closing branches to find other ways to bank that best suit their needs, including help to find alternative branches and access digital, telephone and Post Office banking services.
A dedicated phone number is available to provide customers with help and information on the closures (0330 678 2469).
Santander also remains committed to Cash Access UK and is present in the Banking Hubs across the UK, contributing towards the setting up and expansion of new Banking Hubs.
Approximately 750 colleagues would be placed at risk of redundancy if the proposals proceed after consultation with the unions has been completed. Support will be provided to those impacted colleagues, including assistance in finding redeployment roles within the bank, access to specialist outplacement support, and dedicated wellbeing support. A 24-hour Employee Assistance Helpline is also available for colleagues.
