LONDON: HSBC said on Tuesday it planned to axe 82 branches in Britain this year after a drop in footfall across its retail network and a surge in digital banking.
The lender said it would be left with 511 branches in the UK following the closures, with many of the remaining branches set to be refurbished with some providing fewer services.
The COVID-19 pandemic has dented bank finances, putting pressure on lenders to cut costs, while more customers have opted to bank online as people have been encouraged to stay at home to combat the spread of the virus.
HSBC said it had begun trialing different branch formats and decided to provide fewer full-service branches focused in large cities and towns, with others providing cash or self-service technology.
The bank said ‘pop-up’ mobile branches would also be rolled out later this year.
“The direction of travel is really quite clear and this is borne out by the reduction in branch usage and increase in digital interaction that we are seeing first-hand,” said Jackie Uhi, HSBC UK’s head of network.
HSBC to axe 82 branches in UK, cut services in others
https://arab.news/2hyj4
HSBC to axe 82 branches in UK, cut services in others
- The lender said it would be left with 511 branches in the UK following the closures
Yemenia Airways to launch direct flights between Socotra and Jeddah
RIYADH: Yemenia Airways has resumed direct flights between Socotra Island and Jeddah, marking the first service of its kind in years, Al-Arabiya reported on Tuesday.
According to a press statement, the first direct flight is scheduled for Jan. 7 and will evacuate foreign tourists who have been stranded on the island after Chairman of the Presidential Leadership Council Rashad Al-Alimi’s declared a 90-day state of emergency on Dec. 30, and also imposed a three-day closure on all ports and border crossings.
Hundreds of tourists have been trapped on Socotra after flights were suspended due to recent military escalation in the governorates of Hadramout and Al-Mahra.
Government forces, supported by aircraft from the Saudi-led coalition, regained control of all areas in Hadramout and Al-Mahra following limited clashes with forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council.
Mohsen Haida, deputy director for commercial affairs at Yemenia Airways, said the company plans to operate regular weekly flights between Jeddah and Socotra, according to German news agency dpa.
He added that the initiative is part of the airline’s broader strategy to enhance air connectivity with key destinations, facilitate passenger movement, support the local economy, and strengthen Socotra’s position on the international tourism map.
