By James Knight.

Repearted branch closures make me wonder if many in banking circles would like to do away with their high street presence and not deal with customers at all.

There are major implications for the sector's image if they continue down this road. 

This has been a talking point in my neighbourhood with one of my local branches closing. The bank was always busy and even our MP is most certainly not happy with the decision to close it, the image it does to the in my area from business and personal customers. 

Shepperton in Surrey had a number of branches of banks opened now none, in a rich area of customers plus older customers, this affected local businesses, having to travel to other towns in the location, still a drive with parking problems and times of opening. 

But why don’t bank directors see that what they are doing to the public with even more closures, it is not all down to bottom line finance. I remember banks needed the public's help back in the crash, but that seems to have been forgotten. 

From a business point of view, many small businesses need support of their local branch. If you have a cash business, also help with business investment and decisions or legal documents. 

Some facts and figures: 

HSBC has shut a third of their branches since 2015. 

Daily Mail ran a story earlier this year following a Money Mail poll which suggested many people of all ages and backgrounds rely on visiting their bank branch. 

Over 3,000 branches have shut since 2019 across the banking industry. 

The Financial Conduct Authority has urged banks to rethink plans to shut branch's, the warning has not deterred Barclays, Lloyds and TSB shutting many branches, their view was also business viewpoint. 

HSBC said 90 per cent of its customer service is now on-line or by phone, not face-to-face. 

Metro Bank are only opening 24 new branches compared with 71 they wanted to open. 

No wonder many of us regards banks as a cash cow for the boards and shareholders, I believe are out of touch with customers from business to personal accounts. 

You want a business strategy to support small businesses, in particular to close so many branches is very short sighted for all of us.

Professor James Knight is an international businessman, public relations practitioners and academic. He was Fellow of Bournemouth University Public Relations School, guest speaker at Judge Cambridge, Surrey, Bath and Reading, International Mentor for Oxford Brookes on Hospitality. He is a Fellow of CIPR and the Society of Public Relations of America, as well as a fellow of the Institute of Directors.