SANTANDER is relocating its Bradford Darley Street branch to The Broadway shopping centre.

Work on the branch has already started and is expected to be open to customers in the shopping centre in early March 2023.

The new branch will be the new permanent location in Bradford and will replace the existing branch on Darley Street following the identification of extensive structural issues at the site.

The Darley Street branch has been shut since April this year due to safety concerns.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The Darley Street/Kirkgate branch of Santander closed due to safety reasons in April this year The Darley Street/Kirkgate branch of Santander closed due to safety reasons in April this year (Image: Newsquest)

Prior to the new branch opening, there continues to be a weekday courtesy return bus service which runs from opposite the Midland Hotel to the Shipley branch. The return service operates an hourly service with the first departure at 9.30am and the last at 1.30pm.

In order to access the service, customers simply need to prove they have an account with the bank, such as by showing their debit card.

On the future of the Darley Street site, a Santander spokesman: “We are currently reviewing options available.”

Richard Owen, Head of Branch Interactions at Santander UK, said: “We’re delighted to announce our new site conveniently located in the heart of Bradford city centre.

“The new Broadway shopping centre branch will accommodate the needs of our local customers and focus on delivering great customer service, with modern, digital services including free Wi-Fi, customer tablets and digital ATMs.

“We look forward to welcoming customers to our new home in early 2023 but, in the meantime, we hope the return courtesy bus service will prove useful.”

Ian Ward, general manager at The Broadway, said: “We're delighted to welcome Santander to The Broadway.

“The lease sees the financial services company take a 2,920 sqft unit on Petergate Mall.

“2022 has been a really exciting year for The Broadway and Bradford as a whole, particularly as we start to see the benefits from the City of Culture 2025 win come to fruition.

“The city is attracting new business and investment, and we’re delighted that we can provide new and exciting stores for customers to enjoy as we continue to grow as a major retail and leisure destination.”

In addition to the courtesy bus service that can be used ahead of the opening of the new branch opening in The Broadway, customers can access various banking services by visiting their local Post Office.

Alternatively, they can manage their account via online or mobile banking, or through telephone banking.

Santander is the latest new addition to The Broadway. US sports retailer Lids opened up a store in September and sportswear firm Skechers opened at the site last month.

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