MSE Poll: When did you last use your bank branch?

MSE_Emily

Poll started 31 May 2022

Whether it's down to customer behaviour, cost-cutting or both, banks are closing branches left, right and centre. This month alone, Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays have announced the closure of more than 50 branches, while TSB has has already closed 44 branches so far this year and plans to close a further 26. So this week, we wanted to know when you last used your main bank's branch. We last did this poll in 2019, so let's see if things have changed..

Click here to vote in the poll

Did you vote? Are you surprised at the results so far? Have your say below.
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Thanks!

blanik

What about on-line banks e.g. First Direct

toomanypasswords

I don't have access to a branch of my bank. Haven't not visited by choice. Very badly worded poll

kirstensom

This poll doesn't capture the distinction between those who never visit their bank branches by choice and those whose banks do not have branches (ie. the increasing number of online-only/app-only banks).

witchone

Local branch closed down, there is no other within 50 miles so no choice.

Afourteen

Banks provide more services than just money handling. They also provide mortgages, basic financial advice and secure storage. I guess not people either know of or want to use the secure storage facilities but it is very useful to those of us who need such. 
The mad dash to using cards for every purchase is not helping keeping branches open or even well staffed. I was in a branch on the 31 May and there was one teller working with a queue of 5 people, 1 person sitting handling queries, again with a queue of people some of who were getting impatient. And one person dashing around the floor trying to get people in the queues to complete their transactions without bank staff involvement. 
They do seem to forget that they are paid to provide a service to the us, the customers; providing that service gives  employment to skilled people at face to face communication not people sitting somewhere in the world manning a telephone and relying on us, the customers to do much of their work ourselves. 

BobbinAlong

The poll didn't ask about why you used a branch or how frequently you use it. I used my branch this week to pay in a cheque but hadn't used it for months before that!
I had to make a special lunchtime journey to do so since it only opens 9am to 2:30pm Mon to Fri which is useless for those of us working full time. If they don't provide the service, people can't use it. if people don't use it they close it.

Susiediy

I agree with everything said so far. I haven’t used my branches because they’ve all been closed by both Barclays and virgin, who took over Yorkshire bank and then closed most of the branches. I would love to be able to go into branch and intend to close my Barclays account and open an account with the Halifax  who haven’t closed our local branch

MERCHS

I haven't completed the poll because it is misleading.  I've not used my branch for years, not because I don't want to, but because I can't.  I work full time and my local branches within about a 20 mile radius are closed on Saturdays.  Last I checked they only opened 10-2 weekdays, too.  I am physically unable to get to a branch.  They close branches because they say they're not used, but they're not used because people can't get to them when they are open!

soxmax

The reason why I have visited my local bank branch is that the Cooperative Bank closed the Cambridge branch. We used to use the branch quite regularly. 

soxmax

Sorry. Why I have NOT used my local Cooperative Bank branch is that they closed it.