One other 120 had been introduced prior to now 4 weeks and virtually 5,000 have gone during the last seven years. This can be a charge of 54 branches a month, says client group Which?
Final month, Lloyds Banking Group – which incorporates Halifax and Financial institution of Scotland – mentioned one other 60 would go.
It adopted HSBC warning it could shutter 69 branches between July and October. Final 12 months it axed 82.
NatWest Group has closed 1,114 branches since 2015, together with in its Royal Financial institution of Scotland and Ulster Financial institution arms. Barclays has decreased its community by some 841.
Which? cash editor Jenny Ross mentioned the “alarming” closures will hit hundreds of thousands who haven’t gone digital.
She mentioned: “Money stays a lifeline for hundreds of thousands, together with the aged and most susceptible.”
Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams mentioned department culls are a severe blow for hundreds of thousands of older individuals, “significantly those that are usually not on-line or assured with cellular banking”.
Authorities Excessive Streets Process Drive professional Dr Jackie Mulligan mentioned: “Banks are a part of the material of our excessive streets and their departure is a large emotional loss for hundreds of thousands.”
Martin McTague, nationwide chair of the Federation of Small Companies, mentioned money stays essential to hundreds of thousands, together with the aged, poor and people with disabilities.
He mentioned: “It additionally continues to be a significant backup for when programs fail.”
Lloyds Group retail boss Vim Maru mentioned its branches are essential “however we have to adapt to the numerous progress in clients selecting to do most of their banking on-line”.
Jackie Uhi, at HSBC, mentioned it’ll use group pop-ups and the Publish Workplace community. She added: “We nonetheless put money into areas the place our clients nonetheless use the department community.”
Barclays mentioned it’s “rigorously decreasing our variety of under-used branches, whereas investing in bettering the companies we offer to our clients”.
The Publish Workplace is testing native shared hubs however its banking director Martin Kearsley added: “There’s an pressing want for presidency to guard free entry to money for shoppers and companies throughout the nation.”
