Why is my local Nationwide branch now closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays?

I am a Nationwide customer and recently visited the branch in my local high street.

But it was Thursday and there was a poster saying it was now closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I know Nationwide makes a big fuss about keeping branches open, but is this how they do it – by reducing opening hours?

The big high street banks are also now closed on odd days of the week so I’m not singling out Nationwide – it just feels a bit sneaky. Do many other Nationwide branches do this? And why?

Helen Kirrane from This is Money responds: Nationwide is not only a giant in the field of building societies, but also a giant in the field of banking networks.

It has the largest branch network of any high street retailer, including the major banks, with a network of 605 branches, outperforming Lloyds, which has 598 branches.

It’s safe to say that while bank branches are disappearing at a rapid pace, Nationwide is not doing so well.

British high streets have been plagued by bank branch closures over the past five to ten years.

Since January 2019, 2,798 branches have closed permanently, figures from Which? show, with a further 24 closures planned by 2025.

Barclays has closed the most branches: 829 since January 2019, with 20 more planned by December 2025.

Lloyds follows with 375 branches and plans to close 48 more in the same period.

Next up is TSB, which has closed 339 branches and plans to close 36 more by December 2025, according to Which?

Nationwide is one of the most vocal banks about keeping branches open, with 72 branches closed since January 2019.

We’re more used to seeing Nationwide posters saying ‘we’re not going anywhere’ than posters saying ‘we’re closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays’ in store windows.

That’s because the building society has a location promise, which means that wherever there is a Nationwide location, it will remain open until at least 2028.

In March of this year, Nationwide reiterated the establishment promise for the fourth time.

You asked if other Nationwide branches are also closed two days a week and why. This is Money did some research.

Of Nationwide’s 605-strong network, 458 branches are open five days a week – that’s more than three quarters. While 342 branches remain open on Saturdays.

Your local branch is one of 142 branches that are closed up to two days per week. This means that 23 percent of Nationwide branches are closed up to two days per week.

This is because Nationwide says its 142 branches are closed so that staff can help customers who bank by phone or online, but still maintain a presence on the high street.

James Blower, founder of Savings Guru, answers: I think we are all aware of the decimation of branches on our high street. When I started my career in banking, Barclays, where I worked, had over 40 branches in Norfolk. Now it’s down to three.

As you mentioned, not only are branches closed, but working hours have been reduced. Branches are closed on random days and during lunch breaks and training hours it is increasingly difficult to visit a branch that is open.

Although Nationwide are guilty of this too, I honestly think they are better than their high street competitors. They have opened 10 stores in Norfolk where I live and they are unmatched by any high street competitor.

Nationwide has closed fewer stores in the last five years than any other high street rival. While your experience has been unfortunate, Nationwide is probably the best of the bunch at the moment.

Andrew Hagger, founder of MoneyComms, responds: Nationwide’s current pledge on branch closures is: ‘Wherever we have a branch, we will remain open until at least early 2028’.

What the company has not committed to is maintaining its current opening hours for the next three and a half years, so if a Nationwide store decides to close at certain times of the week, it is not breaking its commitment.

You could call it sly, but in reality the other banks are closing branches everywhere. They claim that there are too few customers and that more payments are made online. Nationwide probably sees similar trends and has decided to take action in more extreme cases.

A Nationwide spokesperson responded: Nationwide continues to value locations and face-to-face service, and wherever we have a location now, we will remain until at least early 2028.

More than three quarters (76 percent – 458) of our 605-strong network are open five days a week, including 342 on Saturdays. Another 142 branches close for a maximum of two days, so that branch colleagues can help customers by phone or online.

This means that we can operate in the most effective and efficient way and at the same time be present on the shopping street.