HSBC to axe 82 branches in UK, cut services in others

LONDON: HSBC said on Tuesday it planned to axe 82 branches in Britain this year after a drop in footfall across its retail network and a surge in digital banking.

The lender said it would be left with 511 branches in the UK following the closures, with many of the remaining branches set to be remodelled with some providing fewer services.

A spokesperson for HSBC said the bank would aim to redeploy staff affected to nearby branches where possible, adding that customers would see the removal of counter services in some of the retained branches.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dented bank finances, putting pressure on lenders to cut costs, while more customers have opted to bank online as people have been encouraged to stay at home to combat the spread of the virus.

HSBC said it had begun trialing different branch formats and decided to provide fewer full service branches focused in large cities and towns, with others providing cash or self-service technology.

The bank said 'pop-up' mobile branches would also be rolled out later this year.

"The direction of travel is really quite clear and this is borne out by the reduction in branch usage and increase in digital interaction that we are seeing first-hand," said Jackie Uhi, HSBC UK's head of network.