Banks shut eight branches a week since 2016 July 10, 2025 British banks have accelerated their retreat from the high street, shutting an average of eight branches a week since 2016 in a dash to bulk up digital offerings. Nearly 3,700 sites closed between 2016 and 2024, creating 41 ‘banking deserts,’ which refer to local authorities where at least one branch shut for every 10,000 residents. [...]
Rachel Reeves urged to rip up ring-fencing in banking growth push July 7, 2025 Rachel Reeves is facing renewed pressure to scrap the ring-fencing regime imposed on British banking giants in a bid to bolster the sector’s international competitiveness and bolster economic growth. The Chancellor has been lobbied by top banking chiefs to ditch the “redundant” 15-year-old legislation, which requires major banks to separate their retail banking operations from [...]
Why did Santander buy TSB? July 3, 2025 Santander might have hoped its takeover of TSB would make waves across the banking industry, but analysts have dubbed it a more modest splash. The deal, which is set to be worth £2.9bn when closed in 2026, will add TSB’s five million customers, £34bn in mortgages and £35bn in deposits to Santander’s portfolio as well [...]
Santander snaps up TSB Bank for £2.9bn July 1, 2025 Santander UK has acquired high street bank TSB in a landmark £2.9bn deal that will significantly beef up the lender’s market share. The bank’s bid for an all-cash takeover from its Spanish peer Banco Sabadell values TSB at five times its expected 2026 net income. TSB will add five million customers, £34bn in mortgages and [...]
Ring-fencing row puts Reeves in midst of Bank of England and City June 25, 2025 Rachel Reeves has found herself in the crosshairs of City chiefs and the Bank of England as she weighs whether to scrap ring-fencing rules. The Chancellor is facing pressure to rip up the rules imposed on British lenders after top banking chiefs branded the system “redundant”. Reeves said she is “open-minded” to ditching the 15-year-old [...]
Natwest rules out TSB takeover June 19, 2025 Natwest has ruled out a takeover of UK high street bank TSB. The FTSE 100 juggernaut was viewed as the “most likely acquirer” by analysts, with the firm hotly anticipated to begin a deal spree after it re-entered private ownership last month. TSB’s Spanish owners, Banco Sabadell, confirmed earlier this week that it had received [...]
Santander interested in TSB takeover June 18, 2025 Santander has approached its Spanish banking peer, Banco Sabadell, regarding a takeover of its UK high street bank, TSB. Britain’s fifth-largest lender is reported to have expressed interest in a deal for TSB, which follows owners Sabadell confirming earlier this week it had been approached regarding acquisitions. A formal offer is yet to be tabled, Sky News [...]
Deal fever: Banking giants plot takeovers to ramp up market share June 18, 2025 British banking is poised for a major shake-up as top names go on the hunt for fresh acquisitions. Lenders have been scouting new deals that would send shockwaves across the industry. Much of the prospective dealmaking involves London lender Shawbrook, whose private equity owners have been circling high street bank Metro. Ahead of this, Shawbrook [...]
Natwest top pick to acquire TSB June 17, 2025 British banking juggernaut Natwest Group has been pegged as the “most likely acquirer” of TSB Bank. Natwest returned to private ownership last month, ending a nearly two-decade-long banking saga and setting the lender up for a deals spree. The bank has purchased over £5bn worth of shares from the Treasury as part of its directed buyback [...]
Forget the EU, UK businesses want to trade with China May 23, 2025 From UK businesses shifting trade to China, the message is clear: growth matters more than geopolitics, writes Jane Galvin.