HSBC has announced it is planning to close 82 branches across the UK from April to September, as it claims customers have been increasingly turning to digital banking.
The closures will leave the bank with 511 branches across the UK.
Critics have said local branches allows small businesses to bank without too much disruption to their own trade, and also provide ready access to cash and face-to-face services.
HSBC said of the branches selected for closure, 81 are within one mile of a Post Office, where customers can carry out day-to-day transactions, two-thirds are within five miles of another HSBC branch, and nine in 10 are within 10 miles.
The new branch formats to ‘reflect local market trends’ will be:
· Full Service Branch: offering a full range of services, predominantly based within large cities and towns where branches see a broad range of requests.
· Cash Service Branch: supporting local communities that are more cash intensive with a greater need for access to cash, alongside simple over-the-counter servicing and the ability to deal with more complex issues such as bereavement and Power of Attorney.
· Digital Service Branch: counterless branches providing ‘traditional’ cash and cheque transactions using self-service technology, with an emphasis on assisting with digital technology adoption and product fulfilment alongside other more complex, nonstandard service requests.
· Pop Up Branch: a temporary, movable, local presence that is flexible and agile, helping customers with ‘in the moment’ queries including help setting up and resetting online and digital banking, providing digital education, guidance and customer support.
The branches to close are:
April: Edinburgh, Princes Street
May: Brighton, Ditchling Road; Hull, Merit House; Wednesbury; Sutton Coldfield, Four Oaks; Hull, Holderness Road; Pontyclun, Talbot Green; London, Fleet Street; London, Fenchurch Street; London, Old Broad Street; London, Charing Cross; Sheffield, Darnall; Oxford, Summertown; Leeds, Chapel Allerton; Cardiff, Rumney; Torquay, Strand; Staines
June: Plymouth, Forder House; Belper, King Street; Colchester; London, Whitechapel; London, Marylebone; London, Streatham Hill; Falkirk High Street; Fleet, Fleet Road; Reading, Woodley; Oxford, Headington; Swansea, Gorseinon; Wigston, Leicester Road; Tavistock, Bedford Square; Bristol, Nailsea; Leeds, Cross Gates; Yate, North Walk
July: London, Kingsbury Road; Cleckheaton, Bradford Road; Bexleyheath, Broadway; London, South Woodford; Birmingham, Erdington; Goole, Wesley Square; Congleton, High Street; Formby, Chapel Lane; Gillingham, Kent; Dunstable, West Street; Chorley, Market Street; Pontypridd, Taff Street; Felixstowe, Hamilton Road; Godalming, High Street; Prestatyn, High Street; London, Southgate; Tewkesbury, High Street; Maldon, High Street; Hatfield; Huntingdon, High Street
August: Stockport, Bramhall; London, Russell Square; Richmond, Market Place; Loughton, High Road; Rustington, The Street; Exmouth, Chapel Street; Bournemouth, Winton; Liverpool, University; Cleveleys, Victoria Square; Clevedon, Triangle; Northallerton, High Street; Walton-on-Thames, High Street; London, High Holborn
September: Barry, Holton Road; Aldershot, Wellington Street; Eastcote, Field End Road; London, Edgware Road; Ramsgate, High Street; Manchester, Chorlton-cum-Hardy; Letchworth, Station Place; London, Hackney; Barnet, High Street; Deal, High Street; Cheshunt, Turners Hill; Swadlincote, High Street; Dorking, West Street; Welshpool, Broad Street; London, Surrey Quays; Worksop, Bridge Street.
