Barclays is planning to close dozens of branches across the UK, according to news reports. The bank has some 1300 branches in the country, the largest number among banks. The bank has been reducing the number of branches each year and intends to close some 30 branches in October and November, the reports said. Towns and villages across Essex, Merseyside, Devon, Somerset, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Wight are set to be hit by the closures. The closures may not lead to job losses, but residents of these areas fear they would be handicapped by lack of branch services. Other banks too have announced they would be closing branches. RBS, for examp0le, said it would be closing 158 branches in March, HSBC said it would close 117 in January and Lloyds would close 100 outlets this year. A spokesperson for the bank said the number of physical Barclays branches will reduce overall but the branch network and the colleagues who work in them remain a vital part of the bank’s offering. With customers visiting the branches becoming less and less each year, the bank intends to constantly assess how and why the branches are used and make decisions based on that insight.
