BARCLAYS is to close two Bournemouth branches this autumn.

The banking giant has written to customers to say banks at Winton and Boscombe will shut.

It says transactions have dropped drastically at both branches and the vast majority of customers are using different ways to bank.

It says no jobs will be lost as a result of the closures, with staff redeployed in the business.

The Wimborne Road branch in Winton will close on Friday, October 30, and the Christchurch Road bank in Boscombe on Tuesday, November 3.

Barclays said fewer than 10 per cent of transactions were now taking place inside a branch.

A Barclays spokesperson said: “The decision to close a branch is never an easy one.

“However, customers are increasingly using alternatives to branches to do their banking. As a result, we are seeing a sustained fall in branch visits across the UK.

“This is reflected at Barclays Boscombe and Winton branches in Bournemouth.

“At Boscombe branch, there has been a 19 per cent reduction in counter transactions in the two years to September 2019.

“In addition, over four fifths (86 per cent) of our customers at the branch are also using different ways to bank.

“The nearest Barclays branch is at Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, two miles away.

“At Winton branch, there has been a 24 per cent reduction in counter transactions in the two years to September 2019.

“In addition, nearly nine tenths (88 per cent) of our customers at the branch are also using different ways to bank. The nearest Barclays branch is at Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth less than two miles away.

“In addition, other nearby Barclays Bournemouth branches can be found at Castle Lane, Westbourne and Christchurch.

“We will work with our customers and provide alternative options to ensure they can continue to manage their money and receive financial expertise when required.”

Barclays said it was committed to the UK Access to Banking standard. Customers had been written to, posters would be displayed in the branches, and staff would be on hand to help customers with concerns.

There will be virtual “tea and teach” sessions for customers wanting to explore digital banking and other alternatives to counter transactions.

According to Which?, Barclays will have closed the most branches of all the major banks between January 2019 and December 2020, with 151 having disappeared by the end of this year.

This year, Barclays will have shut 59 branches, while HSBC is to axe 28.

Bank branch closures reached their peak in 2017, with 868 branches of all banks disappearing.