Which Blackpool branch of high street bank will close amid mass Natwest closures - and why

The Blackpool South Shore branch on Lytham Road will be amongst those shutting down between late April and the start of June, NatWest said, with Lytham Road to close on April 25. This will mean just one branch will remain in the town on Corporation Street.

The news comes a week after Lloyds Banking Group said it would close 40 Halifax and Lloyds sites in England and Wales. At the time the company blamed footfall, which has been rapidly decreasing since the onset of online banking and dropped further during the pandemic. Lloyds said the number of customers visiting the branches it plans to close had dropped by 60% on average over the last five years.

NatWest did not immediately respond to request for comment. The latest announcement means 87 branches have been slated for closure by high street banks so far this year. In October NatWest announced it planned to close 43 branches, adding to 15 announced in May and 21 in February.

FULL LIST OF NATWEST BANK CLOSURES

Southampton - Bitterne Road - April 25

Blackpool - Lytham Road - April 25

London - Clapham High Street - April 26

Stroud - Bank Buildings - April 26

Fleet - Fleet Road - April 27

Heslington - Main Street - April 27

Dunstable - High Street North - May 3

Maidstone - Sutton Road - May 4

Exeter - St Thomas Centre - May 9

Bootle - Stanley Road - May 10

Crawley - Gatwick Road - May 11

Frome - Market Place - May 11

Broadwater - Broadwater Street East - May 16

Colwyn Bay - Abergele Road - May 17

Ilminster - East Street - May 18

London - Marylebone High Street - May 23

Sheerness - High Street - May 24

Llansamlet - Phoenix Way - May 25

Cranbrook - High Street - May 30

Torquay - Newton Road - May 31

Birstall - Loughborough Road - June 1

Horwich - Lee Lane - TBC

Shoreham-by-Sea - East Street - TBC