He said that some of their branches in small towns are the “last institution” in town, such as their newly refurbished outlet in Nailsworth, in the Cotswolds.
He said: “For many of the customers that come into that branch, it’s their only interaction with a human being that day potentially.
“It allows us to continue to service and grow our business through acquisition, because we are face to face in those particular areas.”
He also said that the group regularly gets feedback from their customers with the message “please don’t close”.
A Halifax spokesperson said: “Visits to our Hinckley branch had fallen over recent years, with many customers choosing to bank in different ways over time. Customers can continue to bank in person at our Nuneaton branch or at the Hinckley Post Office.”
The group said that 73 percent of its customers were already using other ways of banking, such as over the phone or internet banking, as well as other branches.
A Yorkshire Bank spokesperson said: “We only take the decision to close a branch after careful consideration of the impact on the local area, as well as the needs of vulnerable customers and the accessibility of alternative services.
“In the case of Hinckley, the store closed on June 14, 2017 when there were four alternative branches within 18 miles, and a Post Office in the town where day-to-day transactions can be carried out. Ahead of a branch closure we support customers with digital banking and provide details on the nearest alternative branches, ATMs and Post Office counters, as well as how to contact our customer support teams.”
A Santander spokesperson said: “Whenever we make the difficult decision to close a branch we take into account the location of alternative branches as well as local post offices and ATMs. We also provide every support to customers of closing branches to find alternative ways to bank with us that best suit their individual needs.”
“Whenever we make the difficult decision to close a branch we take into account the location of alternative branches as well as local post offices and ATMs. We also provide every support to customers of closing branches to find alternative ways to bank with us that best suit their individual needs.”
