Barclays is set to widen its high-street presence by opening new branches, enlarging some existing sites and reintroducing the “bank manager” job title, British daily The Times reported citing Barclays UK CEO Vim Maru.
Maru said the group wants to increase its branch “footprint”.
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In his first interview since taking charge of the UK arm in 2024, he said he took an “early decision” to halt branch closures and is now working towards a larger network than the current 206 locations.
“At the end of our plan we’ll have more than those,” he said.
“I truly believe that the combination of great digital and great human touch is the future of banking.”
The move comes as app-based providers such as Revolut and Wise expand further into current accounts.
Maru said Barclays is aiming to combine digital services with in-person assistance.
Maru said: “What we’re trying to do is something that allows us to differentiate in front of our customers.
“Of course we’re going to be great in digital – but we’re going to be there for you when you need some help and support. You’re not going to be stuck in some chatbot trying to get out of the loop and trying to speak to someone.”
Barclays has cut its branch estate sharply in recent years.
Since 2019, it has closed almost 80% of its branches as it pursued a stronger shift to digital banking and cost reductions.
Maru said the planned openings, which he did not put a number on, would be additional to shared banking hubs run through the Post Office, where several major banks provide services from a single site.
He said the effort is aimed at personal customers and newer businesses, which “love a bit of human touch”.
Asked about reports linking Barclays to possible bids for firms including Santander UK, TSB and wealth manager Evelyn, Maru said his priority was organic growth and that the bank had “strong momentum”.
He said Barclays recorded a peak level of mortgage applications last year and has updated its systems to make products more workable for brokers, cutting application time to 15 minutes from 45.
The lender is also applying AI to shorten internal processes and “maximise our colleagues’ time talking to customers”. Maru said it was too soon to say whether roles would be reduced.
