At 3 pm on 20 May 2026, Santander closed its Liskeard branch. It was the last traditional bank branch in the Cornish market town. The nearest Santander branch was more than 20 miles away in Plymouth. Liskeard had joined the growing number of British towns where banking no longer takes place in a bank. 1, 2
It would be misleading, however, to say that the town was left without access to cash. Customers of most major banks can withdraw money, deposit cash and cheques, and check their balance at the Post Office. A machine inside the Co-op on Barras Street offers free withdrawals and deposits of notes for customers of a long list of banks. Santander provides a community banker at the Workshed each Friday. Other banks also offer limited local support. 1, 3, 4
These alternatives matter. They also raise a larger question. Is access to cash the same thing as access to banking, or are they distinct needs?
A national retreat
Liskeard is one local example of a national change. Around 6,700 bank and building society branches closed across the UK between January 2015 and March 2026. That represented about 68 per cent of the branches open at the start of the period. The number of cash machines also fell by 40 per cent. 5
The banks have a case to make. Cash accounted for only 9 per cent of UK payments in 2024. Digital banking is quick, convenient and available without a journey into town. Santander reported that 76 per cent of customers using its Liskeard branch had also used online, mobile or telephone banking. Only 70 personal customers had used the branch at least three times during the period assessed while relying on it alone. 1, 5
Keeping a large network of premises open when most transactions have moved elsewhere is difficult to justify commercially. But changing habits do not tell the whole story. Percentages can conceal the people who do not fit comfortably within them.
The people behind the smaller numbers
In 2024, 5 per cent of UK adults were heavy cash users. Among digitally excluded adults, the figure rose to 24 per cent. About two thirds of people classed as digitally excluded had not used online or mobile banking during the previous year. 5
The reasons vary. Some people lack the necessary equipment or a reliable internet connection. Others find passwords, card readers or security procedures difficult to manage. Some need help after a bereavement, when arranging a power of attorney or when they suspect fraud. A customer may be perfectly capable of withdrawing twenty pounds from a counter and still need a private conversation about an unfamiliar payment on a statement.
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