HSBC to close 82 branches this year - but Berkhamsted's will remain open

Coronavirus and changing customer habits have changed the way people bank
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HSBC is to close 82 branches in the UK between April and September this year, but the branch in Berkhamsted will remain open, as reported by the BBC.

The company will have 511 branches across the country following the closure programme, including the branch on Berkhamsted's High Street.

Managers said they did not expect to make any redundancies, with staff moved to nearby branches instead.

HSBC in Berkhamsted (C) Google MapsHSBC in Berkhamsted (C) Google Maps
HSBC in Berkhamsted (C) Google Maps

Coronavirus and changing customer habits have altered the way people bank, but there are concerns over closures.

Campaigners say that local branches provide a lifeline for those who need access to cash and face-to-face services, and allow small businesses to bank without too much disruption to their own trade.

HSBC said all but one of the branches earmarked for closure were within one mile of a Post Office, where these day-to-day transactions could be carried out.

Jackie Uhi, HSBC UK's head of network, said: "The Covid-19 pandemic has emphasised the need for the changes that we are making.

"It hasn't pushed us in a different direction but reinforces the things that we were focusing on before and has crystallised our thinking. This is a strategic direction that we need to take to have a branch network fit for the future."

This would include changing some branches to concentrate on cash access, as well as the use of "pop-up" branches in some areas by the end of the year. It means some remaining branches will offer fewer services.