Natwest bank confirms Christchurch branch will close due to a rise in mobile banking
NATWEST has confirmed it is to close its branch in Christchurch due to a lack of footfall and a rise in customers using mobile banking.
The bank at 57 High Street will close for good on 16th August.
A letter on the company's website, which also details other closures nationally, states: "With the ease of mobile and online banking fewer people are coming into the bank.
"This means we’ve had to make some tough choices about which can stay open. So, we want to make sure that we keep the branches people are using most."
Statistics showed the Christchurch branch had a 51% reduction in counter transactions between January 2019 and January 2022.
The number of personal customers using the bank's mobile app as well as the branch increased by 61% in the same period.
The bank said only five personal customers used the bank regularly in 2021.
In addition, there were only 83 regular business customers.
The statement added: "Closing a branch is always difficult and not a decision that we ever take lightly.
"We look at the likely impact on customers, how often customers use the branch and the transactions they’re making, their banking preferences [and] where the nearest branch and nearest cash machines are.
"If there is a local post office for everyday banking [and] all the other banking options; online, mobile, telephone and video banking."
The nearest Natwest bank will now be in Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth.
There are also three free-to-use ATMs in Christchurch.
It's the latest local bank to close, with Barclays announcing this month its Lymington and Ringwood branches were to shut, and a raft of others across the New Forest and Christchurch closing over the past few years.