Santander Bank Branches Closing: Larne Residents Disappointed
Larne residents in Northern Ireland’s County Antrim have reacted with outrage after it was revealed that the town’s sole remaining bank branch would be closed. One of the UK’s largest banks, Santander, stated that it is closing 95 branches throughout the country, putting 750 jobs at risk. The Larne branch is one of them, with its closure due later this year. The move forms part of an overall trend toward internet banking, with Santander quoting a “rapid movement of customers opting to bank digitally.”
The closure will render Larne without a proper bank branch, forcing residents to travel to an adjacent Newtownabbey or Ballymena for personal banking services. For many, particularly the elderly and mobility-impaired, this is a significant obstacle. The move has instilled fear among locals that not all people are prepared or able to shift to the digital platform and bank online.
Barry Mills, of Larne, told BBC News NI how angry he was, saying, “How are people supposed to manage? How is an elderly person or a person with learning difficulties supposed to manage?” He emphasized the worth of the local branch, not only for its services but for the community it provided. Face-to-face contact and regular staff, he said, will be sorely missed.
Whilst online banking has grown significantly, with transactions rising by nearly two-thirds since 2019, most still rely on traditional methods. In Larne, and other towns within Northern Ireland, elderly and learning disabled individuals make use of personal services. The closure of the Santander branch shows the challenges to communities as banks are becoming more digital.
To meet fears about access to cash and banking services, LINK, the UK’s cash access network, has announced that Larne will be granted a new banking hub. It will operate similar to a traditional bank branch with counter services staffed by Post Office employees. Customers of any bank can deposit and withdraw cash, pay bills, and perform other day-to-day transactions. Also on hand will be community bankers from participating banks to assist with more complex financial matters.
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Larne’s banking hub is the seventh to be supported in Northern Ireland by LINK, following the same being done at Ballynahinch, Comber, Kilkeel, Newcastle, Portrush, and Warrenpoint. Dr. Chris Ashton of LINK acknowledged the importance of face-to-face banking and stated, “Whilst more and more consumers are choosing to bank online, many still prefer cash and face-to-face transactions. That is why we are delighted to support the new hub in Larne.”
There remains some worry among residents. With the Santander branch now closed, the loss of an era for Larne has left people wondering how the town will make up for it. However much the hub is expected to provide necessary services, it will not fill the same role or provide the same convenience and homely feel that a particular bank branch does.
The closure is one of a trend, with other Northern Irish towns like Armagh, Strabane, Magherafelt, Downpatrick, Dungannon, and Portadown losing branches. For Larne, the new hub is a compromise—a way of retaining the necessary services on offer while acknowledging the shift to digital banking. But the switch will not be without its challenges, particularly for vulnerable residents accustomed to old-style banking habits.
As Larne is set to close, the residents are left with mixed emotions. The new center promises hope, but at the same time it brings home the need for preserving access to necessary services to all, especially the most disadvantaged. The coming months will prove the extent to which the town copes with this new reality.
