• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Wednesday November 12 2025

Nationwide promises to keep all branches open until 2030

Swindon-headquartered building society Nationwide has announced that it will continue to keep every one of its 696 Nationwide and Virgin Money branches open until at least 2030, despite many other banks closing theirs.

The new commitment, which extends its 2019 Branch Promise by at least another two years, applies even when a Nationwide branch and a Virgin Money branch are close to each other.

Nationwide’s move comes as other banks continue their bank branch closure programmes, the largest in UK history.

Figures from consumer group Which? show 6,561 branches have been closed since January 2015.

Branch closures have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable customers, including older people, many of whom rely on face-to-face services and support.

Younger people rely on branches too – more than one in ten of Nationwide’s new student accounts were opened in branches this new academic year.

Dame Debbie Crosbie DBE, group CEO at Nationwide, said: “Our customers can be confident that they can bank with us whichever way they choose.

“Branches are important to our customers, to communities, and to the health of our High Streets.

“That’s why Nationwide will continue to keep branches open in addition to our investment in online and telephone channels.”

Nationwide – which is a mutual owned by its customers – now operates the UK’s biggest single-brand banking network, with 605 branches. When combined with Virgin Money’s 91 branches, the total network expands to 696 branches.

New Nationwide figures show increased branch usage and account openings through 2025, particularly in areas where Nationwide is the ‘last branch in town’.

Since January, another 33 Nationwide branches became the last in town when other banks closed their branches.

Nationwide is now the last branch standing in 133 UK towns and villages.