Natwest bank in Mirfield to close

The Mirfield branch of Natwest is to close in November.

A spokesman for the bank said: “ We have taken the difficult decision to close the NatWest Mirfield branch on November 4 2015.

“We are working hard to ensure there are a number of alternative ways for people in the area to continue to bank with us including: Post Office: We have reached an agreement with the local Post Office, which is 0.04 miles away from the branch so that our customers can check their balance, deposit and withdraw funds, and business customers can get coinage. There are five post offices within 2.4 miles of the branch.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“ATMs: We intend to retain our ATM in the local community, and there are also nine other free to use ATMs within one mile of the branch.

“Other branches: We have a strong branch representation in the local area; there are five other branches within six miles. Our nearest branch, Dewsbury, is 3.1 miles away.”

The reason behind the closure is that the number of transactions taking place at Mirfield branch has dropped by 22 per cent since 2011 and only 45 customers use the branch on a regular weekly basis - 19 of these customers already use other branches in the area.

The spokesman added: “We are committed to following the UK Government protocol on branch closures, and we have made the decision following careful consideration of a wide range of factors including branch usage and the alternative ways our customers can bank with us locally.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Our customers are increasingly using alternative ways to bank with them such as online and mobile banking. As a result, branch transactions have declined by around 36 per cent since 2010 whilst online and mobile transactions have grown by more than 300 per cent. Only nine per centof their total transactions are now undertaken in branches in comparison to 25 per cent in 2010.

“We are writing to all of our customers who use the branch, as well as displaying posters in branch to let them know of the closure. Between now and the closure date, we will engage with all of our customers, local businesses and the wider local community to make sure they are aware of the alternative ways of accessing their banking with us in the local area, and to answer any questions they might have.”