SANTANDER is cutting its branch opening hours from July in what it says is a response to long-term trends in customer behaviour.

The changes mean branches will operate from 9.30am to 3pm on weekdays, instead of until 4.30pm.

Branches in Stourbridge and Dudley will be affected by the changes. 

The bank said branch staff will still be available for pre-booked face-to-face appointments between 3pm and 5pm, if customers need support that cannot be provided through alternative channels or earlier in the day.

The bank said the number of customers using its branches fell by a third (33%) over the two years before the coronavirus pandemic, and a further 50% in 2020 and 12% in 2021.

The changes will take place from July 18 and Santander said there will be no compulsory redundancies or a reduction of employee working hours as a result.

The bank plans to beef up its telephone support for customers and said branch staff will be trained to help on the phone alongside their current face-to-face roles.

The shake-up will also see 316 branches move from being open from 9.30am to 4pm on Saturdays to operating a half-day service, closing at 12.30pm.

Face-to-face appointments can still be made at these branches until 4pm.

Meanwhile, 76 branches will retain their current half-day opening hours on a Saturday, and 58 sites will remain closed on a Saturday.

There will be no branch closures as part of the changes, Santander said, adding that all of its 450 sites will remain open every weekday.

Richard Owen, head of branches at Santander, said: “These changes will enable us to maintain our existing branch network while providing significant additional capacity to help customers who want to talk to us by phone.

“We have seen a continuing reduction in branch usage over several years, both before and since the peak of the pandemic, with many customers preferring to transact digitally or contact us by phone."