Location of 250th banking hub announced as Santander confirms closures

Link announced recommendations for four new banking hubs as part of its work to help fill gaps in cash access.

Banking hubs are making a significant difference and helping communities, Link said (Vicky Shaw/PA) (PA Archive)

Four new banking hubs have been confirmed by cash access body Link, taking the total number it has recommended to 250.

The announcement was made as Santander said it would shut 44 of its bank branches – and the newly-announced banking hubs will open in four locations where Santander has announced closures.

Link said its 250th banking hub recommendation is in Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire.

The three other hubs newly-recommended are in Ormskirk in Lancashire, Wilmslow in Cheshire and Whitehaven in Cumbria.

Santander has said it plans to close branches in these locations by the end of January 2027.

Banking hubs have helped to plug gaps in cash access as there have been waves of bank branch closures.

They are a shared banking space, where customers of different banks can do their banking in a single place.

The hubs will consist of a counter service where customers of any bank can withdraw and deposit cash, make bill payments and carry out regular banking transactions.

There will also be spaces where customers can speak to community bankers from their own bank. Staff from different banks will be available on different days.

In December, Cash Access UK opened the 200th banking hub open in Billericay in Essex, and there are now 210 hubs across the UK.

John Howells, Link chief executive, said: “Almost five years ago, the first two banking hubs opened as part of a pilot to see how we could better protect access to cash.

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“We’re delighted to announce the recommendation of the 250th hub today.

“The hubs, alongside other solutions, are making a significant difference and helping communities to readily access and deposit cash with ease.”

Sam Richardson, deputy editor of Which? Money, said: “Bank branch closures have real impacts on local communities, especially on those customers who rely on in-person services and aren’t yet ready or willing to make the switch to digital banking.

“These recent closures are a reminder that branches are still under threat and it’s clear that banking hubs will play a big role in how we manage our money.

“However, not all hubs provide the same services, meaning some customers can still be forced to travel long distances to access the services they need.

“Given the importance of banking services to local communities, the Government and banking industry should work together to plug gaps so consumers can rely on hubs for their banking needs and be ready to increase the target of 350 open hubs by the end of this parliament if needed.”