Hot on the heels of the news that the Isle of Wight will lose three Lloyds branches (Cowes, Bembridge and Sandown branches), another bank notifies customers of planned closure.
NatWest have confirmed this morning they will be closing their Shanklin branch next summer on on 5th June 2017.
A spokesperson for NatWest told OnTheWight,
The way people choose to bank with us has changed radically over the last few years. Between 2010 and 2015, mobile and online transactions have increased by over 400% and mobile transactions alone have increased by 1,350%.
As a result of this change 43% of the customers of the branch are actively choosing to use online and or mobile banking for their day to day banking needs.
We are communicating with our customers affected by the closure and proactively contacting vulnerable and regular branch customers. We have listened closely to feedback from local communities and have extended the time between announcing our decision and the branch closure to six months. This has been done in order to ensure our customers have time to consider the right banking options for them.
We know that not all of our customers are comfortable and familiar with using online or mobile banking, so we have created a new specialist taskforce of Digital Experts who will be dedicated to supporting our customers with training and support with digital skills.
We are following the Access to Banking protocol and we have made the decision after careful consideration of a wide range of factors, including regular branch usage and the alternative ways our customers can bank with us. We provide a range of alternative ways to bank, tailored to the needs of our communities and reflective of the way our customers live their lives. These include:
- Online and mobile: we are committed to educating customers on how to use these channels securely and simply.
- Telephony: our customers can contact us over the phone, via web-chat and social media. Our contact centres are open 24/7 and teams are trained to answer almost every query at first point of contact.
- Post Office: We have a national agreement with the Post Office, the closest is 0.11 miles away from the branch so that our customers can pay money in, take money out, check balances and business customers can get coinage. There are 5 Post Offices within 3 miles of the branch.
- ATMs: there are 13 free to use ATMs within 1 mile of the branch.
- Mobile branch: We are introducing a mobile branch service to the community and we will be engaging with our customers and the local community to understand the best day and time for the mobile branch to visit.
- Digital Expert: *a new role*, serving the branch until it closes, our experts will offer training and support with digital skills.
- Other branches: Our nearest branch Ryde Isle of Wight is 8.43 miles away.
