Barclays has shared it is continuing to invest in its UK branch network, with a series of new branch openings, refurbishments and digital upgrades.

The bank said new branches will open in Poole and Bishop's Stortford later this month, with a further branch scheduled to open in Beverley in November as part of a wider programme to modernise its physical estate.

The investment also includes the continued rollout of Premier Banking Suites, smart ATMs and extended opening hours across the branch network, creating more than 60,000 additional hours of in-branch availability each year.

Barclays said the upgraded branches have been designed to reflect changing customer preferences, with many day-to-day banking tasks now completed digitally while more complex financial decisions continue to require face-to-face support.

Alongside self-service facilities for routine transactions, the new branches will include private consultation rooms and meeting spaces where customers can access specialist advice on areas such as mortgages, retirement planning and investments.

The latest investment forms part of Barclays' strategy to combine digital banking services with physical access to banking expertise.

Vim Maru, chief executive of Barclays UK, said the move is a way of showing its commitment to investing in communities,

“While customers increasingly choose digital banking for everyday transactions, we know that some of life's most important financial decisions, whether buying a home, planning for retirement or investing for the future, benefit from a personal conversation with one of our colleagues,” he added. Our ambition is to give customers the best of both worlds: leading digital services for day-to-day banking and the expertise of our colleagues for more complex needs.

“By bringing these together, we're creating a banking experience that offers greater choice, flexibility and confidence, however our customers choose to bank.”

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