County Derry bank branch set to close

Another County Derry town will be left without a bank branch after a series of planned closures were announced yesterday.

The Ulster Bank branch in Maghera will close as part of the bank's overall restructuring plans, with branches in Holywood, Warrenpoint, Dunmurry, Antrim, Ballymoney, Larne, Comber and Clogher all set to suffer a similar fate.

Bank workers were informed of the move yesterday, with some redundancies likely across the various branches.

An Ulster Bank spokesperson said the move was part of the ongoing shift away from in-person banking.

"As with many industries, most of our customers are shifting to mobile and online banking, because it's faster and easier for people to manage their financial lives," they said.

"We understand and recognise that digital solutions aren't right for everyone or every situation, and that when we close branches we have to make sure that no one is left behind.

"We take our responsibility seriously to support the people who face challenges in moving online, so we are investing to provide them with support and alternatives that work for them."

Towns in the county have been hit by several branch closures in recent years, with Danske bank closing its Kilrea branch in December 2020 and Limavady's Bank of Ireland branch closing in late 2021.

Limavady to be hit by bank closure

The branch is among a number earmarked for closure by Bank of Ireland this morning.