Overwhelming majority of the public want five year freeze on bank branch closures

FSU general secretary John O’ Connell (inset), said the union will continue oppose bank branch closures in the north.

The overwhelming majority of the public want banks to put a freeze on plans to close branches in Northern Ireland.

In a new survey published by the Financial Services Union (FSU) on Friday, 87% of respondents said they would support a commitment by lenders to maintain current branch levels for at least five years.

The research, commissioned ahead of the union’s triennial conference in Belfast this weekend, found 59% of the public consider face-to-face customer service at a local bank branch “very important”, with 28% describing it as “somewhat important”.

It comes as major banks continue to slash their high street presence in the north.

Ulster Bank has closed nine branches to date in 2024, while Danske Bank will close four branches next month.

Barclays has also closed all but one branch in Northern Ireland.

FSU general secretary John O’ Connell said the union will continue oppose bank branch closures in the north.

“Banks cannot continue to withdraw local banking services from communities,” he said.

“We want a moratorium on branch closures for at least a period of five years.”

The FSU research, conducted by Ireland Thinks and Lucid Talk, showed 91% of respondents believe they should have a choice of banking channels.

Mr O’Connell said the union had secured the agreement of Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald to reconvene a banking roundtable in the north.

“We will ensure that the interests of our members are represented in those discussions, and we will work with NGOS who want to retain branch services,” he said.

The financial Services Union’s triennial delegate conference takes place in the Europa Hotel, Belfast, across May 17 and 18.