HSBC closes its Harborough branch for good

HSBC is the latest bank to close in Market Harborough.

The bank closed its doors yesterday (May 30).

It comes after Natwest and Halifax also ceased to operate in the town, with Barclays also set to close this summer. Nationwide has recently reduced its opening hours from six days a week to four.

HSBC says its nearest branch will now be in Corby, and while it has tried to redeploy staff, admitted around 100 lost their jobs.

The bank says customers numbers have dropped ‘significantly’ since the pandemic and shut 114 branches across the country as more people bank online.

It says more than nine out of ten banking transactions are now done online and some branches have less than 250 customers through the door each week.

But it admitted 36 per cent of users at the Harborough branch relied only on in-person banking.

A spokesman said: “We continually review our branch network to ensure our branches are in the right locations which reflect the long-term changes in the way customers choose to bank with us. Retaining a sustainable branch network is extremely important to us and we need to ensure it is ft for the future.

“Therefore, after careful evaluation, we have made the difficult decision to close this branch. We are here to support you and there will be plenty of other ways you can continue to do your banking with us.”