NatWest UK, and it has a large network of over 960 branches and 3,400 cash machines across Great Britain and offers 24-hour "Actionline" telephone and online banking services. Today, it has more than 7.5 million personal customers and 850,000 small business accounts. In Ireland, it operates through its Ulster Bank subsidiary. In 2017, NatWest was awarded Best Banking App in the British Bank Awards. The bank's origins date back to 1658 with the foundation of Smith's Bank of Nottingham. The creation of the modern bank was announced in 1968, and National Westminster Bank Limited commenced trading on 1 January 1970, after
British Linen Bank as an affiliate rather than a subsidiary and except for the presence of a Barclays' director "the affiliation made no difference in the conduct of the Bank's business". During the inter-war period, more than 40 new branches were opened giving British Linen a Scottish network of over 170 branches by 1939. In 1969 Barclays sold British Linen to Bank of Scotland in exchange for a 35 per cent holding in the latter bank. The merger with the Bank of Scotland was finalised with the Bank of Scotland Order Confirmation Act 1970, confirming the transfer of the assets and liabilities of