Barclays to close its Ilkley branch next year

Customers who use the bank at 9 Brook Street have received letters informing them of the decision to close the branch on Wednesday, March 2, 2022.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley) received notice of the closure today.

She said: "I am completely dumbfounded why a branch which is clearly well used - a lot to do with Ilkley clientele - is no longer going to exist.

"How do businesses which take cash manage? I was assured about a year ago that this would not happen."

Customers who wish to continue using a branch for their banking after the closure will have to travel to branches in Skipton or Guiseley.

Cllr Hawkesworth added: "We in Ilkley will have to travel to another town and remove footfall off our shopping streets."

Barclays is telling its Ilkley customers: "Before we make the decision to close any branch, we think carefully about how it has been used so far. We consider how many customers have been visiting, what kind of transactions they've been making, and all the other ways they've been choosing to bank with us. We also take into consideration the availability of other branches in the wider community."

The bank has made a booklet available to help customers understand why they have taken the decision to close the branch. It also sets out the banking services and support that will be available after the branch has closed.

The booklet says: "Here are the main reasons why the Ilkley branch is closing:

• The number of counter transactions has gone down in the two years to March 2020, and additionally 82% of our branch customers also use other ways to do their banking such as online and by telephone.

• Customers using other ways to do their banking has increased by 10% since 2015.

• In the past 12 months, 26% of this branch's customers have been using nearby branches.

• We’ve identified that only 131 customers use this branch exclusively for their banking."

Barclays says a second booklet, which will be available from the branch two weeks prior to it closing, will share concerns and feedback from the local community and detail how the bank is helping people transition from using the branch with alternative ways to carry out their banking requirements.