A NatWest bank in Suffolk will close later this year, it’s been confirmed. The branch at Ipswich’s Ransomes Europark industrial estate will close on November 8, becoming one of 34 additional NatWest sites to close between September 2023 and July 2024.
NatWest says that average counter transactions reduced by 60%between January 2019 and January 2023, while the number of customers using mobile apps increased by 49% over the same period. The branch was used by 0 personal customers on a regular basis in 2022.
The NatWest branch in the town’s Tavern Street will remain open. There are also NatWest sites in Sudbury and Colchester.
The total number of NatWest branches scheduled to close this year and into 2024 stands at 140. NatWest has owed the closures to changing customer behaviours.
Read more: Supermarket in Suffolk town to close within weeks
A NatWest spokesperson said: “As with many industries, most of our customers are shifting to mobile and online banking, because it’s faster and easier for people to manage their financial lives. We understand and recognise that digital solutions aren’t right for everyone or every situation, and that when we close branches we have to make sure that no one is left behind.
“We take our responsibility seriously to support the people who face challenges in moving online, so we are investing to provide them with support and alternatives that work for them.”
