London, UK (BBN)-Bank giant HSBC has announced plans to shut another 62 branches – nearly one in 10 of its network.
Up to 180 jobs are at risk under the plan, the latest in a wave of closures by Britain’s biggest bank, reports Mirror.co.uk.
It comes weeks after the lender confirmed 55 branches would be axed in 2017.
HSBC blamed the closures – which it claimed would be the total for this year – on changing customer habits.
It said the number of people using its branches had fallen by nearly 40 per cent over the past five years.
Yet it comes as HSBC is raking it in, with analysts predicting it will announce annual profits of nearly £12billion next month.
The bank compounded the misery for staff by also announcing that 204 IT jobs will be cut, with the majority of the work being offshored to teams in India, China and Poland.
Dominic Hook, Unite national officer said: “Today is a dark day for hundreds of HSBC staff who will arrive at work to be told that they could lose their job as their branch closes or their IT role is cut.
“Unite is deeply concerned that this large branch closure programme will be devastating not only for staff but also for the loyal HSBC customers who will lose their community branch.
“This announcement comes just days after the disappointing news that Yorkshire and Clydesdale Bank will be shutting 79 branches with 400 job losses.”
Unite is calling on the banking industry to rethink a wave of branch culls, which risk hitting the elderly and vulnerable the hardest.
Hook added: “Without doubt customer service in financial services will suffer if our high streets are left with no local branches.
“The banking industry must act to prevent confidence in our banking system falling further.”
The total of 117 branch closures announced for 2017 will leave HSBC with 625 outlets.
Francesca McDonagh, HSBC Head of Retail Banking, said: “The way our customers bank with us is changing.
“More customers are using mobile and internet banking than ever before.”
Antonio Simoes, chief executive of HSBC’s UK arm, said: “This marks the end of our branch restructuring programme.
“We now feel we have the right branch network that complements the other ways in which customers now choose to interact with us.”
The new list of 62 branches closing in 2017
ALFRETON
ALNWICK
AMMANFORD
BALSALL COMMON
BEDWORTH
BLACKPOOL, BIRLEY STREET
BLETCHLEY
BRIGG
BRISTOL COLLEGE GREEN
BROMPTON ROAD
CARDIFF, CHURCHILL WAY
CARLISLE, KINGSTOWN ROAD
CARTERTON
CASTLE BROMWICH
CASTLE DONINGTON
CHASE TERRACE
CHESHAM
CHIPPING NORTON
COBHAM
CONSETT
COSHAM
EASINGWOLD
FERNDOWN
FINCHLEY CHURCH END
FISHGUARD
GERRARDS CROSS
HASLEMERE
HEDON
HEMSWORTH
HOLYHEAD
HOLYWELL
HORNCASTLE
KESWICK
KIDLINGTON
KIRKBYMOORSIDE
KNIGHTON
LEYBURN
LLANRWST
LUDLOW
MAESTEG
MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY
MARLBOROUGH
MIDSOMER NORTON
NARBERTH
NEWQUAY
REDRUTH
RICKMANSWORTH
SHAFTESBURY AVENUE
STOKESLEY
SWINTON
SYSTON
TEAM VALLEY
THORNE
TOTTON
WARMINSTER
WARWICK
WATH UPON DEARNE
WEMBLEY PARK
WEST BYFLEET
WILLENHALL
WOOD GREEN
WORLE
BBN/SK/AD