Santander to slash opening hours at hundreds of branches - here's what you need to know

MSE_Emily

Santander is to shorten its opening hours on both weekdays and weekends at hundreds of branches across the UK for those who walk-in without a pre-booked appointment...

Read the full story:

Santander to slash opening hours at hundreds of branches - here's what you need to know

 If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply.

Brie

Am I the only one who has noticed they appear to be switching back to what used to be normal banking hours from a few decades back?  

I would guess the automation has allowed there to be quicker ways to count the money out and back in to the vault and tally what once would have been hundreds or thousands of cheques.  And I would also guess that each branch will become a mini call centre with staff on the phones (aka pc linked lines) in the back room or upstairs in what once would have been the manager's office.

dr_adidas01

I’ve received this via email the other day as I’d visited my local branch to pay in a cheque (how quaint). As it’s rare for me to visit a branch it doesn’t really matter to me. 

Speedbird676

My branch changed last year to Mon-Fri never and Saturday never.

I think it's now a cafe or something which I've visited about as many times as I did the branch.

Thrugelmir

Slash in the title makes the changes sound very dramatic. 

Rob5342

There can't be much use left for them any more, it must be at least 20 years since I've been into a bank branch now.

Zanderman

Rob5342 said:

There can't be much use left for them any more, it must be at least 20 years since I've been into a bank branch now.

But, just like the cash/cashless argument, some people obviously do still use branches (otherwise there wouldn't be any at all), even though you don't.

k_man

Thrugelmir said:

Slash in the title makes the changes sound very dramatic. 

Indeed.
A cynic would suggest this is almost a sensationalistic title/headline.
Reduce or cut would have been less emotive term.

Katiehound

opening hours do look normal- for years ago - when folk struggled to get into a branch when they were working until 5pm & needed to pay in cheques or get cash & the bank closed at 15.00 ish.
I haven't had a notification but notice currently they are still open until 4.30weekdays as well as Sat mornings. It's such a tiny branch I am amazed they are still open at all (Two customers can barely social distance.)
 I'm thinking it might be the next to go... Barclays gone & TSB going next month....

born_again

Given 24/7 internet banking & near enough 24 hour phone banking. Do we really need branches open long hours?

As @Brie said. We managed before & that was without phone/internet. So should not be a issue now.

Would rather the banks got together and had one place per town that anyone can use (Yes I know the post office) but you can't get everything there. Each bank could then provide a couple of staff members. 

EssexExile

Ah back to the good old days. Banks used to open after I'd started work, close before I'd finished. To get there at lunch time was a 25 minute walk there, 25 minutes back plus queueing. All in a 45 minute break! Not open at weekends at all. At least now there are plenty of alternatives.