Santander is to close its branches in Eltham, Sidcup and the Surrey Quays shopping centre as the bank continues its retreat from the high street.
The branches are among 95 that will close across the UK, with Santander saying there had been “a rapid movement of customers choosing to do their banking digitally”. About 750 jobs are expected to be lost.
Santander said that “community bankers” would be placed in areas affected by its closures.
By the end of the year, Nationwide will be the only banking institution left on Eltham High Street. Santander will close on June 23, while Halifax will close in October.
The closure will heighten calls for a Banking Hub to open on the high street. Nearby Welling already has a Banking Hub, where staff from various banks attend one day each week and basic transactions can be made. A Sidcup Banking Hub is due to fully open in September.
Charlie Davis, a Conservative councillor for Eltham Town & Avery Hill, said that Santander had previously pledged to keep the branch open.
He told The Greenwich Wire: “The decision of Santander to close their Eltham branch is deeply disappointing, especially as it was only last April they gave assurances they would not close the branch.
“The closures we’ve seen in recent years disproportionately impact our most vulnerable and elderly residents.
“We will be engaging with Nationwide and [the cash machine network] Link over the coming months to ensure Eltham retains banking services which are vital to local residents and businesses on the High Street.”
The Sidcup branch will close on August 11 while Surrey Quays will close on November 10.
Story updated at 2.35pm to include Charlie Davis.
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