9 famous banks we've lost over the years - as Santander closes branches and Lloyds announces jobs overhaul

By Robert Cumber

Property and retro writer

Published 25th Mar 2025, 09:41 BST

As two major banks announce branch closures and job reviews, we’re taking a look back at the big banks we’ve lost over the years.

Santander earlier this month announced plans to shut another 95 branches across the UK, putting 750 jobs at risk.

Lloyds, meanwhile, has launched a major overhaul of its IT division, impacting around 6,000 employees, as it shifts to a digital-focused model.

The latest developments continue the trend of widespread branch closures as the move to online banking accelerates.

With many big banks disappearing from our local high streets, we’re looking back at some of the major banks we’ve lost over the years.

Some collapsed spectacularly while others were swallowed up by other banks or merged to form new banks.

How many of these lost banks do you remember, and did you bank with any of them?

Midland Bank began life as the Birmingham and Midland Bank in 1836 and grew rapidly, becoming Midland Bank in 1923. Between the end of the First World War and the 1940 it was reportedly the biggest bank in the world. It was bought in 1992 by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) in what was then one of the largest deals in banking history and was renamed HSBC Bank in 1999.

1. Midland Bank

Midland Bank began life as the Birmingham and Midland Bank in 1836 and grew rapidly, becoming Midland Bank in 1923. Between the end of the First World War and the 1940 it was reportedly the biggest bank in the world. It was bought in 1992 by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) in what was then one of the largest deals in banking history and was renamed HSBC Bank in 1999. | Picture Sheffield Photo: Picture Sheffield

Abbey National is one of the biggest names in banking to have disappeared from the UK high street. It was formed in 1944 , when the Abbey Road and National building societies merged. It demutualised in 1989 and in 2003 rebranded as Abbey. The following year it became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Santander Group, and in 2010 was renamed Santander UK. A branch of the Abbey National Building Society is pictured here in August 1973.

2. Abbey National

Abbey National is one of the biggest names in banking to have disappeared from the UK high street. It was formed in 1944 , when the Abbey Road and National building societies merged. It demutualised in 1989 and in 2003 rebranded as Abbey. The following year it became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Santander Group, and in 2010 was renamed Santander UK. A branch of the Abbey National Building Society is pictured here in August 1973. | Getty Images Photo: Evening Standard/Getty Images

Northern Rock was originally a building society, based in Newcastle, which demutualised in 1997 to become a bank. By 2007, following a period of rapid expansion, it had become the UK's fifth biggest mortgage lender - but then the bubble burst. Having borrowed heavily to fund the mortgages it offered, Northern was left exposed by the banking crisis, and when the BBC reported that it needed support from the Bank of England that sparked the first run on a British bank in 150 years, with lengthy queues forming outside branches up and down the country. Northern Rock was nationalised in February 2008.

3. Northern Rock

Northern Rock was originally a building society, based in Newcastle, which demutualised in 1997 to become a bank. By 2007, following a period of rapid expansion, it had become the UK's fifth biggest mortgage lender - but then the bubble burst. Having borrowed heavily to fund the mortgages it offered, Northern was left exposed by the banking crisis, and when the BBC reported that it needed support from the Bank of England that sparked the first run on a British bank in 150 years, with lengthy queues forming outside branches up and down the country. Northern Rock was nationalised in February 2008. | National World Photo: Jim Moran

Barings Bank, based in London, was one of England's oldest merchant banks, having been founded in 1762. It was famously brought down by the rogue financial trader Nick Leeson, pictured here flanked by police officers in Shanghai. Leeson hid the huge losses he accumulated, which totalled £827 million by the time he fled in February 1995 and his fraud was exposed. Barings was unable to survive the losses and went into administration before being sold to the Dutch firm ING for a token £1. Leeson was sentenced to six and a half years in prison, with his story inspiring the 1999 film Rogue Trader, starring Ewan McGregor and Anna Friel.

4. Barings Bank

Barings Bank, based in London, was one of England's oldest merchant banks, having been founded in 1762. It was famously brought down by the rogue financial trader Nick Leeson, pictured here flanked by police officers in Shanghai. Leeson hid the huge losses he accumulated, which totalled £827 million by the time he fled in February 1995 and his fraud was exposed. Barings was unable to survive the losses and went into administration before being sold to the Dutch firm ING for a token £1. Leeson was sentenced to six and a half years in prison, with his story inspiring the 1999 film Rogue Trader, starring Ewan McGregor and Anna Friel. | JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images Photo: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images

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