Bank Branch Closures Accelerate UK High Street Decline, PwC Says
A closed branch of NatWest bank in London.
Photographer: Mark Kerrison/In Pictures/Getty Images
Banks closing branches across Britain are fueling the decline of the country’s high streets, a report by advisory firm PwC found.
Almost 1,000 bank branches closed in the last two years on a net basis, forcing customers to travel further or use online services. That is having a knock-on effect on British shopping streets, with 10 retail or hospitality outlets closing on a net basis every day in 2024, the survey by Green Street for PwC showed.