Nationwide closure leaves Langley without walk-in banking branches

There are set to be no walk-in banking branches left in Langley after Nationwide announced its branch in the area is closing.

The building society is shutting its branches in Willow Parade and Farnham Road on October 20.

Customers will instead need to travel to Slough High Street to complete any in-person banking transactions.

Labour councillor Preston Brooker, who represents Langley Kedermister, said he was ‘extremely disappointed’ that Langley residents are going to be left with no walk-in branches.

Nationwide’s decision to shut its store follows the move by Barclays to close its High Street branch in January 2021.

Cllr Brooker said: “Not everybody can do all their banking online.

“Particularly, the elderly who are not always familiar with how to do this online stuff.

“Having to travel into Slough to do your banking is extremely inconvenient.

“I’m extremely disappointed that Nationwide has followed the other big banks in doing away with branches.

“There is no bank left in Langley now.”

Councillor Brooker added that Langley residents now face the prospect of paying expensive bus fares to travel into Slough to access any in-person bank branches.

He told the Express: “Some people just can’t afford to have internet connections at home so it’s not helping vulnerable people.

“In Farnham Road, there are other banks but I’m worried if this is going to carry on in the whole of Slough and we’re only going to be left with a few branches in central.”

A spokeswoman for Nationwide said its branches in Langley and Farnham Road required significant investment to bring them up to date. The company said 61 per cent of its Langley users also visit other branches and 62 per cent of the Farnham Road store also bank elsewhere.

A statement added: “We’ve invested in several branches close by, including Slough High Street and Uxbridge, to ensure people in the area have modern branches with the latest technology and services.”