The building society has made a major announcement affecting all its branches – now an expert has issued a note of caution
Fresh figures from Nationwide Building Society show the decline of in-person banking services – and a list of 133 branches highlights one key issue. The building society has pledged it will keep open all its current high street branches until at least 2030.
This means customers who regularly access their cash at one of its 605 outlets will still be able to do so for the next few years. But the mutual also claims that at 133 locations, Nationwide is the only bank or building society branch left.
This includes busy areas such as Leatherhead, Hertford and Rickmansworth. Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, warned that bank branches closing down can have a major impact on a region. She said: “Where local branches close, it isn’t just a financial loss but a social one.
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“When the last branch closes, a community loses far more than a counter service, but lose access, confidence and a sense of financial and social independence. For many communities, a physical branch provides access, advice and a sense of connection and additional support.
“When only one option remains, the risk of exclusion rises, particularly for those who rely on face-to-face support to manage their money or build confidence.” As more areas are left with minimal bank branch services, new banking hubs have been set up.
These are run by the Post Office, where several banks offer over-the-counter services and staff support in managing your finances. Post Office branches themselves also offer some banking services, such as making deposits into your account or withdrawing cash. But Ms Anderson warned some people may feel uncertain using these shared facilities.
She said: “People need to see these services as a continuation of their local bank, not a compromise. Clear communication, local outreach and digital skills support are needed to ensure people know their options and feel confident using them.”
If you are with one of the big name banks but they are closing your local branch, you might want to look at other smaller providers. Nottingham Building Society bucked the trend in opening a new branch this summer, in Nottingham city centre. The group has more than 30 branches in total.
Sally Gaudion, chief customer officer at Nottingham Building Society, said: “Face to face banking services remain essential, even as digital services dominate. While many customers manage transactions online, branches continue to play a crucial role for complex queries, savings guidance, and personal support for multiple generations of customers, particularly those less confident with technology.”
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She said that an advantage of building societies is they are rooted in their local communities, reinvesting locally and tailoring their offering to what customers need. For example, the building society is continuing to offer passbooks, a paper book used to record the transactions for a savings account.
Ms Gaudion said: “The reduction of bank branches nationally, with 133 areas where only Nationwide remains, highlights the risks of limited access to face-to-face services. Closures can contribute to financial exclusion and leave communities under-served.”
She said banking hubs can help replace some services but many customers still prefer a dedicated space where they can talk over their finances. The banking expert said: “While it may seem ambitious to maintain physical branches in a digital-first world, our experience is that there is strong demand for local, personal service, particularly for complex financial cases – or simply the reassurance of having the time and the space to speak to a real person.”
‘Branches are important to our customers’
As Nationwide announced its pledge to keep open its branches, group chief executive Debbie Crosbie said: “Our customers can be confident that they can bank with us whichever way they choose.
“Branches are important to our customers, to communities, and to the health of our high streets. That’s why Nationwide will continue to keep branches open in addition to our investment in online and telephone channels.”
Despite the pledge, the Nationwide website does carry a warning that there could be branch closures coming up in extraordinary circumstances. The group says: “There may be circumstances beyond our control that mean we have to close a branch. Or relocate it in the same town. We’ll only do so when there’s no other workable option.”
These are the 133 locations where Nationwide is the only branch left, as of November 12, 2025:
- Addlestone
- Allenton
- Amesbury
- Atherstone
- Attleborough
- Battle
- Beaconsfield
- Beccles
- Beckenham
- Biggleswade
- Birchington
- Birstall
- Bletchley
- Blyth
- Brighton (London Rd)
- Broadstairs
- Broadstone
- Bromborough
- Burnham-on-Sea
- Canvey island
- Chard
- Chingford
- Codsall
- Cranbrook
- Cranleigh
- Crewkerne
- Cupar
- Dagenham
- Dovercourt
- Easingwold
- Egham
- Eltham
- Fakenham
- Farnham
- Faversham
- Felixstowe
- Feltham
- Finchfield
- Fordingbridge
- Frinton-on-sea
- Frodsham
- Gillingham
- Glastonbury
- Great Dunmow
- Hailsham
- Heanor
- Helmsley
- Henley-on-Thames
- Hertford
- Holbeach
- Horley
- Hunstanton
- Hythe
- Ilfracombe
- Irthlingborough
- Knutsford
- Leatherhead
- Leigh on sea
- Letchworth
- Leven
- Longfield
- March
- Marlborough
- Marlow
- Matlock
- Mickleover
- Middlewich
- Midhurst
- Milford Haven
- Morden
- New Alresford
- New Malden
- New Milton
- Newport Pagnell
- Newquay
- North hayes
- Northampton (Duston)
- Northampton (Kingsthorpe)
- Northampton (N’ton Admin Centre)
- Northwood
- Olney
- Paddock Wood
- Parkstone
- Peacehaven
- Penkridge
- Pinner
- Pitreavie
- Pocklington
- Potters bar
- Princes Risborough
- Purley
- Rainham
- Ramsey
- Redruth
- Rickmansworth
- Ripley
- Rugeley
- Runcorn
- Rye
- Sandbach
- Sandwich
- Sawbridgeworth
- Shanklin
- Sheerness
- Shepherd’s Bush
- Sheringham
- Shirley
- South Woodford
- St Leonards-on-Sea
- Stanmore
- Stony Stratford
- Stretford
- Swindon Croft
- Thame
- Thetford
- Torrington
- Towcester
- Twickenham
- Upminster
- Upton Park
- Wallingford
- Warminster
- West Malling
- West Wickham
- Westerham
- Whitstable
- Whittlesey
- Wickford
- Wimborne
- Windsor
- Winsford
- Witham
- Worcester Park