The Cumberland Building Society has pledged to maintain its branch network across the North West and Scottish Borders, positioning itself as a vital point of access for consumers as major financial institutions continue to vacate the high street.

The commitment follows internal research which identified the decline of the high street as a significant concern for residents. According to the data, 28 percent of people in Cumbria and 32 percent in Dumfries and Galloway cite high street decline as a top issue. Across the wider North West and Scottish Borders, more than one in four residents share these concerns.

This trend reflects a broader national shift. Industry figures indicate that approximately 6,600 bank branches have closed across the UK since 2015.

In response, The Cumberland—which operates 31 branches—has confirmed it will remain in its existing locations. It currently stands as the sole remaining financial institution in 19 of those communities, a number expected to rise to 20 when Santander closes its Whitehaven branch in early 2027.

The decision was informed by a regional "Community Conversations" programme, where residents consistently emphasised the importance of face-to-face banking to local economic resilience. This sentiment aligns with findings from the Building Societies Association, which reported that 91 percent of people view their local branch as important to their financial wellbeing.

Stuart Miller, Chief Executive of The Cumberland Building Society, said: “These findings reflect the concerns we hear every day from the communities we serve. The high street is not just a place to shop, it is where people bank, where businesses trade and where the community comes together.

“When banks leave, they take more than a service with them. At The Cumberland, being an active member of our community is not optional, it is fundamental to who we are so we simply won’t follow the crowd and leave. Quite the opposite, we’ll double down by publicly committing to stay and going further with a multi-million pound investment programme into the branch network.”

The building society is currently executing a multi-million-pound investment to modernise its infrastructure. Recent refurbishments have been completed in Carlisle, Egremont, Annan, Preston, and Barrow, with work currently underway at the Whitehaven branch. These upgrades aim to provide a blend of traditional face-to-face service and private spaces for financial guidance.

Beyond its branch operations, The Cumberland continues to provide commercial lending and account services to regional businesses, while maintaining a charitable giving programme that has contributed more than £1.5m to local causes over the past five years.