Santander UK Plympton branch closure 'disappointing' says MP

The proposed closure of the Plympton branch of Santander UK has been described as 'disappointing' by a local MP. The high street bank has announced the closure of 95 branches across the UK, putting around 750 jobs at risk of redundancy.

The Spanish-owned lending giant said it was planning to start shutting branches from June, while also cutting hours across 36 sites and switching 18 to be counter-free in moves impacting on more than a third of its 444-strong network. Santander said it will be left with 349 branches after the overhaul, which will include 290 full-service sites as well as five so-called work cafes.

One of the closures will be of the Plympton branch on St Stephen’s Place on August 14, 2025. The branch had been newly designed and refurbished in December 2017, as part of a programme to "deliver even better customer service and community-friendly banking".

Now, Rebecca Smith - MP for South West Devon - has called for a "viable alternative to access in-person banking services" for people in her constituency.

Rebecca said: "I am disappointed to learn of Santander's decision to close its Plympton branch on 14th August 2025. Santander customers which rely on the branch are now being asked to treck to Armada Way, Plymouth or Liskeard, Cornwall! This comes after Lloyds announced in January that it would close its Plymstock branch.

"I have raised the closure of our local banks repeatedly with Labour Ministers in Parliament and am working with Cash Access UK, LINK and the Post Office to pursue an alternative banking hub model. Banking hubs have been successfully rolled out in towns such as Ivybridge where banks have deserted, providing a shared space where communities can access banking services and face-to-face support from all major high street providers.

"The latest blow dealt by Santander will only strengthen the case for a viable alternative to access in-person banking services. I will continue to press ahead for a banking hub and look forward to sharing the outcome of meetings in the days and weeks ahead."

More than 4% of the bank's 18,000 UK workforce will be put at risk if the plans get the go ahead after consultations with unions, the bank said. The majority of the planned redundancies are related to the branch closures, but about 12% of the cuts are because of the reduced-hour proposals.

It comes in response to customers increasingly switching to online banking, with a 63% surge in digital transactions since 2019 while branch transactions have slumped by 61% in that time, according to the firm.

A Santander UK spokesman said: “As customer behaviour changes, we are ensuring that our branches remain fit for the future. Our new combination of full-service branches, alongside work cafes, counter-free branches and reduced hours branches, aims to provide the right balance between digital banking and face-to-face money management and guidance.”

He added: “Closing a branch is always a very difficult decision and we spend a great deal of time assessing where and when we do this and how to minimise the impact it may have on our customers.”

As well as the Plympton branch, Santander UK said it would be closing Devon branches in Honiton (on July 14), Exmouth (on July 15), and Torquay (on June 17).

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