Major UK bank to reopen high street branches after it closed 800 sites for good | UK | News
A high street bank is bringing back in-person branches (Image: Getty)
Barclays has announced plans to reopen and expand its high street branch network after closing around 800 branches in the UK over the last decade. The move marks a significant shift for the banking giant, which had previously embraced digital-first services at a time when in-person visits were declining. Now, under chief executive Vim Maru, the bank is halting further closures and investing in physical locations to revive in-person banking.
Maru, who joined Barclays in 2023, said the decision reflected a growing recognition that many customers still valued face-to-face support, particularly in communities left without local banking services.
“What we’re trying to do is something that will allow us to differentiate ourselves in front of our customers,” Maru told The Times.
“Of course we will be great at digital, but we will be there when you need help and support.”
READ MORE: Barclays makes major announcement for customers after 800 closures
READ MORE: Full list of 96 NatWest, Lloyds and Halifax branches that closed before July
Barclays wants to revive face-to-face banking (Image: Getty)
A key element of the strategy is the return of traditional branch roles, including bank managers, which have largely disappeared as services move online.
Maru emphasized that customers still want human interaction on more complex financial matters.
“The branch manager or the bank manager is back. Most of the customers come from time to time and want to talk to the bank manager.”
Barclays currently operates just 206 branches in the UK; this is a sharp decline from its historical footprint. The bank now plans to increase this number, as well as extending opening hours and improving accessibility. Barclays has already added more than 33,500 hours of in-branch availability annually through operational changes, according to Maru.
This shift comes at a time when digital-only rivals such as Revolut and Monzo are rapidly gaining market share in the UK current account sector.
As Barclays continues to invest heavily in its mobile app and online services, the bank now sees physical branches as a way to stand out in an increasingly crowded digital marketplace. Maru highlighted their frustration with all-digital customer service, stating that customers should not be “stuck in a chatbot trying to get out of the loop.”
Barclays’ move contrasts with the wider industry trend towards branch closures. Earlier this year Lloyds Banking Group closed 71 branches and hundreds more are planned to close across its brands.
Consumer advocacy group Which? Lloyds said 218 branches in Halifax and Bank of Scotland alone were expected to close in 2025.
Banks attributed these closures to changing customer behavior; Millions of people now rely on mobile and online banking. Lloyds says more than 21 million customers use digital services, significantly reducing footfall to physical branches
Barclays’ decision marks a shift towards a hybrid banking model that combines digital convenience with physical accessibility.
