A city centre bank which was forced to close due to structural issues will not be re-opening until all necessary work has been completed.

Santander on Darley Street shut its doors in April after structural issues relating to the roof and ceiling were deemed a safety concern.

Initially, the closure was thought to be a temporary inconvenience, but this week an email was sent out to Santander customers to say it could take ‘longer than anticipated due to the age of the building.’

A spokesperson for Santander said: “Following a structural review of the site, it has become apparent that it will take a significant period of time to fix the issues. As such, we are now working at pace to establish alternative ways to access banking services in the local area until we have a fully operational site back in the city centre.”

The email that was sent out to Santander users on Thursday states that the chain decided to close on April 6 due to structural concerns relating to the roof and ceiling.

'But it has now "become apparent that we'll not be able to reopen the branch until all necessary work has been completed, and the age of the building means this will take longer than originally anticipated and so the branch has to remain closed."

 "We're very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. As you'll appreciate, the safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority. We thank you for your patience and understanding.

"We're exploring options which will allow us to continue providing access to cash and face-to-face support for our customers. We'll let you know more once we have more information and a timeframe."

In the meantime, Santander users are encouraged to use other branches in the local area:

  • 2 Market Square, Shipley BD18 3QB
  • 5 Lidget Hill, Pudsey LS28 7LG
  • 32 Southgate, Halifax HX1 1DL
  • 2-4 Bow Street, Keighley BD21 3PE

The spokesperson added: “We have seven alternative Santander branches within ten miles of Bradford, and our Darley Street colleagues will be relocated to nearby branches to provide support for customers.

"Services can also be accessed through our online, mobile or telephone banking while the nearest post office is located at 22 Charles Street Mall, The Broadway and ATMs can be found at Halifax, 28 Bank Street and RBS 45-47 Bank Street.”