Archive pictures of when banks were in every high street

The charity Age UK warned that the closure of banks on the high street will impact older people.  

In May 2023, Age UK published the findings of a survey which revealed around 4.09 million people are likely not managing their money online.  

It found that 75% of people, equivalent to 7.86 million people want to do at least one banking task in person at a branch, building society or post office.  

Read more

• Brynmawr traders react to Lloyds Bank branch closure 

• Abercarn Post Office closes after death of postmistress 

Nearly 1,500 banks have either shut or announced their intention to close since February 2022. 

In fact, since 2015 around 6,000 banks have closed on high streets across the UK.  

In communities without banks, banking hubs have been set up which are shared by Cash Access UK, a not-for-profit company.  

It is funded by nine high street banks which provide banking services to their customers.  

What are bank hubs?

The hubs are normally operated by the Post Office in partnership with major high street banks. 

These hubs have a ‘community banker’ service where customers can discuss more complex banking issues such as debt advice.  

However, as of January 2024 there were only 31 banking hubs in operation across the UK: 21 in England, 7 in Scotland, 2 in Wales and 1 in Northern Ireland.  

The UK’s main ATM network, Link, recommended that 101 new banking hubs be set up in the UK. 

This call came following their assessments of the last bank branch in an area closed and requests from communities.  

Banking hubs can only be opened once all banks (including building societies such as Nationwide) have shut their branches.  

An example of this is Cambuslang in South Lanarkshire which receive a banking hub as part of a pilot in April 2021.  

The Labour government previously promised 350 banking hubs for towns where branches have closed.  

If you have views on the closure of high street banks, send us a letter at letters@southwalesargus.co.uk

The banks on the high street back in the day

Monmouth Buildign Society, John Frost Square, in 1992 (Image: Archive)

Lloyds Bank in Blackwood in 1992 (Image: Archive)

TSB Scotland plc branch, Cameron Toll in Edinburgh in 1986 (Image: Archive)

Man using cash machine at building society in 1994 (Image: Archive)

Woolwich in Cwmbran in 1991 (Image: Archive)

A Lloyds Bank in 1991 (Image: Archive)

A man using a cash machine in 1987 (Image: Archive)