Nationwide Building Society has today vowed to keep its entire branch network open until at least 2030, giving a 'shot in the arm' to Britain's struggling high streets.

The announcement from Britain's biggest building society bucks the trend that has seen more than two thirds of bank branches shuttered over the past decade.

By the end of next year, 6,731 branches will have disappeared, as major banks abandon customers on the high street.

NatWest and RBS have closed 1,377 branches since 2015, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and Lloyds 1,252, Barclays 1,230 and HSBC 743, according to analysis by from consumer group Which?

The Federation of Small Business warns the pace of closures is damaging the high street, contributing to lower footfall and reducing infrastructure to support cash payments.

More than a third of local businesses told the FSB that reduced ability to accept cash poses an extreme risk to their high street and three in five claim their local branch has closed since the pandemic.

Britain's biggest mutual already had its 'branch promise' in place until 2028 but has doubled down on the commitment by extending it by two years.

Nationwide bought Virgin Money for £2.3billion last year and says it will not shut any of the Virgin branches – even if close to a Nationwide branch.

As a result, 696 locations will stay open for at least five years.

Nationwide says it is now the last branch standing in 133 towns and villages, including Beckingham, Dagenham and Twickenham – and that list is set to grow in the coming years.

Dame Debbie Crosbie, chief executive of Nationwide, told the Daily Mail: 'Some say branches aren't commercially viable. Ours are thriving. This isn't just a business decision. It's a statement of values.'

Sir Mel Stride, MP for Central Devon and Shadow Chancellor, recently wrote to Lloyds Bank over concerns about its closure in Okehampton, pencilled in for March 2026.

He said: 'Nationwide's pledge to keep its branches open is a shot in the arm for our high streets and local communities.

'I know only too well the impact closures have on residents and small businesses – banking services should be local and accessible for everyone.'

Nationwide warns branch closures have a 'disproportionate impact on vulnerable customers, including older people, many of whom rely on face-to-face services and support.'

In the year to September, there was an 11 per cent increase in the number of customers using Nationwide branches.

The building society says a third of current accounts and more than a fifth of savings accounts were opened in branch in the six months to the end of September, suggesting a growing appetite for face-to-face banking despite the huge shift to digital.

Martin McTague, chair of the FSB, said: 'Bank branches are vital for small firms, so keeping more local outlets open on high streets and in our communities is welcome.

'It will mean preserving cash flow, access to services that online or mobile banking can't easily replace, and, with the addition of the acquired Virgin Money branches last year, available business banking.'

DEBBIE CROSBIE: It's a statement of values

By Nationwide CEO, Dame Debbie Crosbie

When Nationwide acquired Virgin Money a year ago, we didn't do what most companies do – close branches to cut costs. We did the opposite.

And today, we're proud to announce that every one of our 696 branches – whether Nationwide or Virgin Money - will remain open until at least 2030.

This isn't just a business decision. It's a statement of values.

It reflects our belief in the power of branches to deliver real value to our members and communities. We see branches not as legacy infrastructure, but vital for future service, support and trust.

Branches are more than bricks and mortar. For many, they are lifelines. Older customers, those living with dementia, and people who are digitally excluded rely on face-to-face banking.

Some say branches aren't commercially viable. Ours are thriving.

In towns where we've become the last one standing, people opening current account in branch has rocketed and ATM usage surged by 25 per cent. That's not decline – that's demand.

That's why we're investing in the High Street. This isn't just good for society – it's good business. Our branch strategy is commercially sound and socially impactful.

We've seen a 28 per cent rise in new current accounts being opened in branches, while new savings account openings in branch have jumped by more than 30 per cent. Indeed, market data shows that 68 per cent of all branch sales in the UK were through a Nationwide branch.

And it's not just banking that's better through branches. We host dementia clinics in over 200 branches, helping over 100,000 people.

We've created more than 400 safe spaces for domestic abuse support. And our scam checker service protected 800,000 customers from making more than £300,000 of fraud payments per month.

These services don't exist in an app. They exist in person, in communities, in branches.

Nationwide is a mutual, owned by our members. I've spent most of my career in the commercial sector, but I've found something special in mutuality – the 'secret sauce' I'd been searching for.

It's possible to be ambitious and commercially sharp while remaining truly purpose driven. That's what we're doing.

Our acquisition of Virgin Money expanded our reach. Together, we're supporting local economies and small businesses, bringing banking back to places that need it most. We're not just preserving the past – we're building the future.

But we can't do it alone. We need a collective approach to safeguarding access to cash and banking services. In return, Nationwide's promise is simple: we'll be there. In person. In your town. On your high street. Until at least 2030.

Because banking should be fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society.