TSB brand could disappear from UK high streets as Santander lines up takeover

TSB was founded in 1810 as the Trustee Savings Bank, and TSB was a recognised standalone bank until it was bought by Lloyds in 1995. After the financial crash, and following further banking mergers in which Lloyds TSB bought HBOS - the company formed from Halifax and the Bank of Scotland - the government took a large stake in Lloyds as part of the banking rescue deal. This led to 632 branches being sold off as a standalone TSB business in order to comply with European Commission state aid requirements.

But now the TSB brand could vanish from UK high streets altogether after rival Santander agreed to buy the lender for £2.65bn. The deal could lead to branch closures.

Sabadell, the Spanish owner of TSB, said last month it was considering a sale of the UK business amid efforts to stop itself being subject to a hostile takeover.

Santander said it “intends to integrate TSB in the Santander Group” as part of the deal, which needs to be agreed at a shareholder vote. The move would create the UK’s third largest bank by the number of personal current accounts.

TSB now runs around 175 branches across the UK and employs more than 5,000 people, while rival Santander runs 349 branches and has around 18,000 staff.

Both lenders have cut their number of sites in recent years as many customers have shifted to online banking. The deal will raise fears of further job cuts and branch closures across the combined group.

In a presentation to analysts, Santander said it plans a “rationalisation” of the overall branch network and structure, with aims to look at “overlaps” involving properties.

It comes a decade after Sabadell bought TSB for £1.7bn to gain a foothold in the UK, a year after Lloyds had spun off TSB.

In May, TSB saw first-quarter profits nearly double thanks to cost-cutting and improved mortgage lending ahead of April’s stamp duty deadline.

Marc Armengol, TSB chief executive, said: “TSB is a truly special bank, run by a first-class team that deliver trusted service and support for customers, day in and day out. Today’s announcement represents the next exciting chapter for this successful business, as part of Santander, a highly regarded banking group. I believe this will prove to be an excellent fit for our loyal customers.”

Ana Botin, Banco Santander’s executive chairwoman, said: “The acquisition of TSB represents a continuing strategic commitment to our customers in the UK, offering a compelling opportunity that is financially attractive to our shareholders and aligned with Santander’s long-term objectives. It strengthens our franchise in a core market through the acquisition of a low-risk and complementary business that adds to our diversification.”