Brixton’s branch of the HSBC bank today (17 January) moved across Brixton Road from its former home near McDonalds at number 512 to number 421 near the junction with Atlantic Road, once the home of Carphone Warehouse.
With almost half of the bank branches in the UK closing between 2015 and 2021, HSBC’s decision to upgrade the branch is a welcome confirmation of Brixton’s role as a thriving centre.
As well as HSBC, the town centre hosts branches of Barclays, NatWest and Santander banks together with building societies and the Jamaica National Bank.
The new HSBC branch will provide:
- Two upgraded counters for customers
- Better-designed areas for customer service
- State-of-the-art self-service machines including cash and cheque deposit machines
- An area that can be used for customer seminars, which could include talks on financial wellbeing or how to avoid becoming the victim of fraud
- Servicing of business as well as retail accounts.
Kevin Dewick, HSBC UK’s local director, said: “We are continuing to invest millions of pounds into our branch network to create an upgraded, updated and enhanced experience for our customers.
“We are proud to be opening this new branch in Brixton and continuing to support the community in and around Brixton.
“The new branch will mean our customers have a much more modern branch, with increased space in the banking hall.
“I am delighted that we are continuing to be there for our customers and the local community.”
Dewick said that, while HSBC is investing in its branch network nationally as well as in Brixton, “the overall direction of travel for customer behaviour is quite clear”.
They are becoming more comfortable primarily using online and mobile banking to take control of their finances, and using other channels only for very particular interactions.
“That could be to get face-to-face advice, when they have a complex financial issue, or if they want to discuss how a major life event will affect their finances, whether that is an expected new addition to the family, or a bereavement.
“Whichever their preference, we are there for them in Brixton.”
The new branch will have more self-service stations than the previous premises.
HSBC said it was “very conscious” that some customers would be less confident or comfortable using self-service options.
“We would like to assure them that we will not be leaving any of our customers high and dry,” it said.
“Our branch staff will be on hand to help in the banking hall as well as at the counters, to explain and also to educate customers on how to complete their transaction.”
