Santander seals 318 RBS branch deal

clock

RBS is set to announce the sale of 318 branches to Spain's Santander as the UK lender offloads the former Williams & Glyn's network.

Santander beat off rivals, including National Australia Bank, in a bid to extend its reach on the high street for an estimated £2bn, according to The Telegraph. Several thousand staff currently employed by RBS will be affected by the sale, although the final branch network organisation is yet to be announced. The European Commission forced the sale on RBS before it would approve aid for the bank, which was part of the UK Government's billion pound rescue package. Following the deal, Santander will have over 1,600 branches in the UK, making it the fourth biggest network in the coun...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Your profession

Tackling the biggest challenge facing financial services in the UK

Tackling the biggest challenge facing financial services in the UK

'Trust in financial services is slipping'

Professional Adviser
clock 04 March 2026 • 4 min read
'No news is good news': Spring Statement stability welcomed

'No news is good news': Spring Statement stability welcomed

‘This was a low-key event, especially for pensions’

Jenna Brown
clock 03 March 2026 • 4 min read
FCA opens targeted support authorisation gateway

FCA opens targeted support authorisation gateway

Firms can now apply for permission to provide targeted support

Isabel Baxter
clock 02 March 2026 • 2 min read