Yorkshire Bank announces closure of Ripon branch

Yorkshire Bank has announced that its Ripon branch will close on June 6, with a further 17 closures scheduled across the county in 2017.
The Ripon branch is scheduled to close on June 6 this year.The Ripon branch is scheduled to close on June 6 this year.
The Ripon branch is scheduled to close on June 6 this year.

It is anticipated that 200 jobs will be lost as a result of the closures.

Yorkshire Bank said in a statement that the number of customers using their bank for day-to-day transactions across the industry has fallen by a third since 2011 in the UK.

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A decline in branch usage and an increase in digital engagement has seen a shift and a move towards accessing day-to-day banking services remotely - on the move and outside of normal business hours.

Ripon City Councillor Stuart Martin said: "I am very concerned and disappointed to hear the announcement that the Yorkshire Bank is to close. I understand that the staff working in the Ripon branch are all to lose their jobs as well, which is a terrible situation for them and my thoughts are with them.

"To lose such a big name from the high street is a real body blow for the city and to the customers who use the bank. For a business in such a prominent position to close will have a huge impact on Ripon.

"Customers will now be faced with a journey through to Harrogate in order to do their banking or change banks altogether which is never a simple process.

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"Obviously, the rise of internet banking has played a major part in the banks demise and I fear this will not be the last one of our high street banks to rationalise its business a result."

Gavin Opperman, Customer Banking Director at Yorkshire Bank, said: “While the decision to close any branch is never an easy one, it is important that we, in line with other banks operating in the UK market, continue to respond to changes in the way customers want to bank with us.

“The changes announced continue our journey towards a model that combines an enhanced digital platform with a right sized branch network; allowing customers to interact with us through a wide range of channels – mobile, online, telephone, in-branch – whenever and however they want.”