A MAJOR bank has announced plans to close one of its Hampshire branches.

HSBC revealed yesterday that it was to shut down its popular branch in Totton.

The branch in Commercial Road is set to close this year along with 61 other branches across the UK. 

It will finally close its doors on June 2 just a year after new ATM machines were installed.

According to HSBC, over the last five years the number of customers using its branches has fallen by almost 40%.

The latest round of closures will leave HSBC with 625 UK branches by the end of 2017. 

It is expected that the closures will result in up to 180 redundancies.

Francesca McDonagh, head of retail banking and wealth management at HSBC, said: “We will have fewer but better branches with more empowered frontline colleagues using a greater range of technology to support all our customer needs.

Following the announcement Totton councillor Louise Carasoli said: “It will be a shame to see it go. It’s the first I’ve heard of it. The nearest HSBC would now be Shirley or Southampton.”

Cllr Mahmoud Kangarani added: “That is very disappointing. I have an account with them. The consequence of it is that people will lose the choice in Totton. There be less footfall. We will lose out from a business point of view. The overall effect will be negative. 

“One of the main High Street businesses are banks.”

He added: “The older generation will be affected especially. If they aren’t online they will have to travel or change bank. 

“I was talking to staff the other day and they didn’t say that they were going. They only added a new cash machine in last year. It sounds like they must have changed their minds. I will probably change my bank account. It would be too inconvenient otherwise.”

Ann Page, a Totton resident and administrator at the Totton and Eling Community Association, said: “I’m very angry. There are a lot of people, older people especially, who don’t do online banking. It’s been in Totton for many years. Many people rely on that bank. Where are they supposed to go? The Romsey branch closed last year.

She added: “I worked at Totton HSBC when it was the Midland Bank. I don’t know how they expect older people to get to other branches. I feel sorry for people who bank there and don’t have access to online banking.”

The Bitterne and Romsey branches of HSBC closed in October last year.