HSBC to close another 69 branches

HSBC has announced that it is closing down 69 of its UK branches in 2022, just a year after it closed 82 branches across the country.

The bank has said that customers are shifting away from traditional in-person banking and moving to digital services, with fewer than 50% of the bank’s customers now visiting a branch, and the average overall footfall falling by 50% in the last 5 years.

The bank has said that the change was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Impact on communities and employees

The closure of the 69 branches in the UK will affect around 400 staff. The bank has said that it hopes to redeploy those affected within its network, without having to resort to redundancies.

With this latest wave of closures, HSBC will be reduced to 441 branches in the UK in total, although only 96 of those — mainly based in cities and large towns — offer a full range of services.

Of the remainder, 172 are cash service branches, which offer cash machines and some basic counter services, although some more complex lending questions can be handled too. The remaining 173 branches are counterless digital banks that operate using self-service technology only.

HSBC has said that none of the closures will leave a town without access to banking services.

We know that the majority of our customers have a preference to do much of their day-to-day banking online or via mobile, so we're removing locations where we have another branch nearby, and where there is a significant reduction in customers using face-to-face branch servicing.

This will enable us to invest in locations where our customers are continuing to utilise the branch network, including updating technology and refurbishing branches.

Jackie Uhi, Head of HSBC’s UK branch network

Full list of branches affected:

City of London: 19 July

Westfield Stratford City (London): 19 July

New Bond Street (London): 19 July

Cambridge, Hills Road: 21 July

Moorgate (London): 21 July

Angel Islington (London): 21 July

Gloucester Road (London): 26 July

Monmouth: 26 July

Perth: 26 July

Hammersmith: 28 July

Merry Hill: 28 July

Woking: 28 July

East Grinstead: 2 August

Peckham: 2 August

Farnham: 2 August

Beaconsfield: 4 August

Street: 4 August

Lymington: 4 August

Sidcup: 9 August

Thame: 9 August

Hoddesdon: 9 August

Birmingham, Harborne: 11 August

Uckfield: 11 August

Londonderry: 11 August

Leyland: 16 August

Omagh: 16 August

Borehamwood & Elstree: 16 August

Golders Green: 18 August

Stowmarket: 18 August

Eltham: 18 August

Wellingborough: 23 August

Amersham-on-the-Hill: 23 August

Bishop Auckland: 23 August

Ashby-de-la-Zouch: 25 August

Woodbridge: 25 August

Thornbury: 25 August

New Malden: 1 September

Hartlepool: 1 September

Keynsham: 1 September

Pinner 6 September

Dewsbury: 6 September

Barking: 6 September

Newmarket: 8 September

Billericay: 8 September

Beckenham: 8 September

Sidmouth: 13 September

Burgess Hill: 13 September

Daventry: 13 September

Strood: 15 September

Nottingham, West Bridgford: 15 September

Ellesmere Port: 15 September

St Annes-on-Sea: 20 September

Ringwood: 20 September

Pontefract: 20 September

Ilkeston: 22 September

Petersfield: 22 September

Whitehaven: 22 September

Hampstead, High Street: 27 September

Inverness: 27 September

Wandsworth: 27 September

Manchester, Didsbury: 29 September

Bristol, Whiteladies Road: 29 September

Shirley: 29 September

Herne Bay: 4 October

Manchester, Trafford Park: 4 October

Cardiff, Canton: 4 October 2022

Falmouth: 6 October

Bootle: 6 October

Kingston: date TBC