HSBC, Barclays and more United Kingdom (UK) banks will close their physical branches in the coming days, hence, leveraging on online platforms to carry out banking services to their customers.
Already, hundreds of bank branches have closed in 2023 with a number to follow within days, according to data from LINK.
The trend has continued in recent years as customers increasingly turn to online banking and away from physical branches.
The bank branches that will be closed between September 5 and 8, 2023, precisely this week, as listed by The Sun Newspaper (UK edition) include: HSBC, Settle; HSBC, Epworth; HSBC, Holsworthy; HSBC, Hythe; Santander, Midsummer Place, Milton Keynes; Santander, Grafton Gate East, Milton Keynes; Barclays, Finchley Road, London; Barclays, Harpenden; Barclays, St Ives; Barclays, St Andrews and Barclays, Haverhill.
This comes as a number of banks are set to close their branch doors for the final time this month.
Barclays, Lloyds and Halifax, according to a report in The Sun, are among those impacted across locations such as London, Suffolk and Newcastle.
Meanwhile, Barclays pulled down the shutters on four of its banks for the final time on September 1 and it had already announced around 70 closures in the current year.
While the vast majority of banking customers are moving online, branches closing can leave some in the dark.
“Many elderly people, particularly those in rural areas, rely on physical branches to carry out day-to-day tasks. However, if you’ve been left stuck by a recent bank branch closure in your local area, you have some options. You can carry out most basic banking tasks at the post office.
“You won’t be able to apply for a loan or open a new bank account at once, though. Many banks offer a mobile banking service – where your bank brings a bus to your area offering services you can usually get at your bank. You should get in touch with your bank who will be able to tell you if they offer such a service and when it is next in your area,” according to The Sun report in its advice to bank customers whose branches were affected by the closure.
Other banks, it said, use buildings such as village halls or libraries to offer mobile banking services, while urging customers to contact their banks to see what they might be able to do for them.
