HSBC will shut 69 branches as it continues to close banks because of customers switching online.

But it appears Worcestershire’s branches are safe for now. HSBC branches in Worcester, Malvern, Droitwich, Evesham, Stourport, Kidderminster, Redditch and Bromsgrove are not on the list. 

The move, which could hit around 400 workers across the branches, is the latest in a flurry of closure announcements by the UK’s biggest banks.

In January last year, HSBC announced 82 previous closures.

The bank said that less than 50% of its customers now regularly use its branch network, with footfall dropping sharply over the past five years.

A spokesperson added that it hopes to redeploy all 400 staff to new roles within 15 miles of their homes.

Jackie Uhi, head of HSBC UK’s branch network, said: “The way people bank is changing – something the pandemic has accelerated.

“Our branches continue to support people with their more complex banking needs, but the way we can do this has also evolved, with the addition of banking hubs, community pop ups and continued use of the Post Office network.

“Rather than a one-size-fits-all branch approach, it’s an approach built around the way different customers are choosing to bank in different areas.”