UK banks have closed more than one in three branches over past five years
https://www.ft.com/content/f9c9fe14-ac20-42e4-986b-b48a37dc55b1
Posted by zeros3ss
UK banks have closed more than one in three branches over past five years
https://www.ft.com/content/f9c9fe14-ac20-42e4-986b-b48a37dc55b1
Posted by zeros3ss
31 Comments
And those that are left have opening hours not suitable for the normal working person.
My local bank is open 9:30-3
Um good. I’ve needed a branch once in the last decade and that includes multiple job changes, 2 house purchases and opening new accounts.
Edit: I completely forgot I opened, ran and closed an ltd in that time too lol.
Time has moved on
Totally understandable – must have been at least 7 years since I needed to go to a bank and I run my own small business.
I can see why. I’ve not needed a bank branch for years, can’t even remember when I last needed one. Literally everything can be done on app/online banking or over the phone.
People who want branches can pay for it in reduced interest rates and fewer perks. The rest of us can move to the digital banks.
I paid into my Halifax account via the Post Office yesterday… My nearest branch is miles away but the Post Office is 5 mins walk and takes money for most banks.
Sort of further reduced the need for a branch.
Because an app does the majority of what a retail bank on the high street does.
It’s kinda funny that apps have had a big part in killing the high street but no one seems to mention it and now we have the panic AI is going to take everyone’s jobs despite it basically being used as a search engine by the majority.
Most banks got rid of counter service and became a chore. I’m happy with my building society as there are clerks and people to assist and help you.
When all the people who want shops to take cash can tell me where these business will be able to pay their takings in.
Please let me know.
We have lost HSBC, Barclays, Halifax, Lloyds, Santander all with in the last 3 years.
There is no local branch with in 20 mile radius for me.
So when I do need to go in for services that require in person.
I have to make an appointment for a Saturday from a bank that’s only open to 12.
It’s not hurt their bottom line … community hubs should be mandatory before they are allowed to shut out our communities.
I’ve needed a branch once in last 20 years when insurance company sent me cheque for £2.5k (3 years ago) and at the time I could only scan in up to £2k on the app. I used the post office paying in service but they lost the cheque so once reissued I drive to a branch and paid it in my self. If it happened today I’d be fine as can scan in up-to £100k in the app. I should add I work for a bank too, 21 years now.
I really only ever used mine for large cash withdrawals/paying in cash. I can do that at the Post Office.
My dream of the village mob storming the bank vaults with fire & pitchforks is diminishing by the day
I love the fact I can do all my banking through an app.
Within minutes of being paid, I’ve sent money wherever it needs to go without getting off the sofa and I get instant notifications whenever I spend.
Like others, I’ve not needed to go to a branch in years which is great because I used to hate having to go and stand in and wait to see someone to do stuff with my money.
What reason do people have to go to a bank thesedays?
You can deposit etc in a post office.
Short of a visit with a manager theres no need for actual banks, they make a target so coat a lot of money to run.
I once went to a NatWest branch on a Saturday morning to pay in a cheque. It was horrendously busy inside with and the queues didn’t seem to be moving while I waited for 5 minutes.
After watching everything grind to a halt I thought “screw this, I’ll pay the cheque in another day”. I left and went back home.
Little did I know but later that day I discovered I can now pay cheques in using my phone, so I snapped a photo of the cheque and uploaded it to the app and it cleared with in a few days of the next week.
It’s time we accepted that high street banks are a thing of the past.
Banks are one big computer. Money is largely digital (and will go moreso that way). It doesn’t made sense to have buildings and staff that simply act as a go-between from customer to bank’s computer.
There is very little which has to be done in branch and can’t be done online.
Giving so few people use them and the cost of prime high street locations this is completely understandable.
We get a banking van comes once a month for an hour. It only stays for one hour no matter how many people visit. There’s always loads of people who queued up that don’t get seen.
Makes sense, I haven’t had to go into a physical bank branch for ages. Everything can be done online now.
The only people who use bank branches on a regular basis are pensioners who can’t be arsed to learn how a banking website works.
Of course they have
When was the last time you went into a bank
It must be three or four years for me
Makes total sense. With technology where it is today there’s almost no reason to physically visit a bank.
Banks are here to make money, customers come second
I struggle to understand why anyone would choose these “high street” banks once branches closed. Interest rates are typically dreadful, their apps aren’t as good as their online only competitors and generally their offers are poorer. I’ve banked with monzo for years and so much better than lloyds or sanrander
Went into my local NatWest yesterday for the first time in years, looking for some holiday currency. Apparently banks don’t do that anymore, I had to go to the post office.
You really dont need a building for every bank on every high street these days. A banking hub that encompasses them all is enough for the few that still use them
People need banks they should have to open one within a certain radius of customers. In a world of scammers it’s better to go to a bank than do things over the phone that’s not even in our own country.
If I’m honest I can’t remember the last time I went into a bank to do anything. I didn’t even have to go into a branch to open my current account which I’ve had six years now.
It’s only really students that are using them now. Where it was previously the elderly, they are becoming more adept on the banking apps.
It’s either closeing or going to only atms my local nationwide just sends you to a machine over the teller
I’d rather travel for 40 minutes to get a person to sort my cash than use a machine
I can see physical bank branches consolidating at some point. It’s just more efficient use of resources. Bank staff likely do the same thing between different branches anyway so it shouldn’t matter if it’s for Barclays or Lloyds. Having seperate physical branches for each bank is just a waste of space, resources and money at this point. If I can get my HSBC and barclays account needs done at a singular branch that would be amazing.
Last time I went into a branch was to deposit a check. They wouldn’t accept it, told me I had to mail it in. Honestly don’t know what the point of the branches are at this point.