More than 6,000 bank branches have now closed their doors for good, consumer group Which? have revealed.

Over the last nine years, 6,005 bank branches have shut down across the UK.

Which? said the milestone highlights the impact this “avalanche” of closures has had on high streets and the need to provide replacement services for millions of people who rely on them.

Barclays are closing eight branches today, taking the number of branches closed in recent years past 6,000.

This equated to more than 60% of the bank branch network since Which? began tracking closures in 2015.

The eight Barclays closures relate to branches in Alperton in Wembley, London: Andover in Hampshire; Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland; Bracknell in Berkshire; Hornchurch in Essex; Inverness in the Highlands in Scotland; Liverpool; and Streatham in London.

Barclays has closed 1,216 branches, according to Which?

A Barclays spokesperson said: “As visits to branches continue to fall, we need to adapt to provide the best service for all our customers.

“Where levels of demand don’t support a branch, we maintain an in-person presence though our Barclays Local network, live in over 350 locations, based in libraries, town halls, mobile vans and our banking pods.

“We also support access to cash with our cashback-without-purchase service, 24-hour deposit-taking ATMs and by working alongside the Post Office and Cash Access UK.”

NatWest Group, which comprises NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank, has closed 1,360 branches and Lloyds Banking Group, made up of Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, has shut 1,146 sites, the consumer group said.

Which? said 200 closures by various banks are already scheduled for the rest of 2024.

Currently, 24 more bank branch closures have been scheduled for 2025, although more are expected to be announced later this year and next, it added.

Sam Richardson, deputy editor of Which? Money, said: “This milestone of more than 6,000 bank branch closures in just nine years underscores the seismic shift that has taken place in terms of our banking habits and the character of the British high street.

“While some may hardly notice the closure of their local branch as they seamlessly switch to online banking, for others reliant on face-to-face services, the impact can be disastrous.

“It’s not about halting closures altogether, but ensuring that essential banking services remain accessible to those who still rely on them.”