Last updated at 12:13, Thursday, 26 April 2012

SANTANDER is shutting a branch in Whitehaven, but the bank says no staff will lose their jobs.

The outlet at 43 King Street, Whitehaven, is expected to close by the middle of June.

The announcement follows a national review that will see 56 branches go.

Spanish-owned Santander acquired and rebranded the branches of three former building societies – Abbey, Alliance & Leicester and Bradford & Bingley – between 2004 and 2008.

That gave it a 1,200-strong network with duplication in many places.

A spokeswoman said: “We have been closely reviewing how customers use the new branch network.

“Based on this analysis, we are consolidating some branches but only where our detailed, two-year research shows we can continue to provide the level of service needed to the local community.

“Santander is not leaving any town in which it has a full-service branch and it is not making any redundancies.

“And we are investing in 25 new branches this year in places where we currently don’t have a presence.”

There is another Santander close by, at 22 King Street, Whitehaven.

First published at 11:11, Thursday, 26 April 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk