CHANGES to the way in which we handle money means that a bank is to close a branch in Lower Earley later this year.
The Halifax announced last week that it will leave the Chalfont Close complex on June 29, but said that customers can use the Post Office situated inside Asda as an alternative.
Last week, the banking giant announced plans to close 56 branches across the country, citing the way in which its customers use its services as the reason why.
It added that both technology and the landscape in which it operates are changing “at an accelerated rate”, with customers using online banking to manage their finances.
This means that it is seeing a sharp decline in the number of people who visit the branches.
The Lower Earley store has been earmarked for the chop after research by Halifax revealed that more than three-quarters of its customers used other branches, telephone and digital banking.
It promised to work with customers, advising them on how they can withdraw money, pay in cheques and cash and check their balances at any Post Office branch.
Their accounts will be moved to the branch in Broad Street, Reading and the company is not making any compulsory redundancies as a result of the closure.
There has been a mixed reaction to the news on social media.
One commentator said: “They call this customer service!!!” but another said: “I can’t think when I last stepped into my bank”.
A Halifax spokesperson told The Wokingham Paper: “We have made the difficult decision to close Reading Lower Earley on 29th June 2020 due to the changing ways customers choose to bank with us, which means the branch is being used less often.
“We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause; customers can continue to bank locally by visiting the nearby Post Office, which is less than half a mile from the branch.
“The nearest alternative branch is Reading Broad Street.”
