Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

The Peterborough city centre branch of the HSBC bank has been earmarked for a major refurbishment next year.

It means the branch in Cathedral Square has escaped inclusion in a new round of closures just announced by the banking giant.

A spokesperson for the HSBC said: “The refurbishment is going to take place in the second half of next year, so at some point between July and December.

Bosses of HSBC bank have announced a refurbishment for its branch in Peterborough as it looks to close 114 other outlets, including its one in Stamford.

"Depending on the nature of the work, it may close temporarily, but it is too early to say exactly what will happen, just that the refurbishment will happen.”

News of the revamp planned for the city branch came as the HSBC announced the closure of 114 branches nationally – a quarter of its outlets – from next April, with about 100 job losses.

The closures will include its branch in the Red Lion Square, High Street, Stamford, which is set to shut on May 16 next year.

Jackie Uhi, HSBC UK's managing director of UK distribution, said: "People are changing the way they bank and footfall in many branches is at an all-time low, with no signs of it returning.

Banking remotely is becoming the norm for the vast majority of us.

"The decision to close a branch is never easy or taken lightly, especially if we are the last branch in an area, so we've invested heavily in our 'post-closure' strategy, including providing free tablet devices to selected branch customers who do not already have a device to bank digitally, alongside one-to-one coaching to help them migrate to digital banking."

News of the refurbishment of its city centre branch will be a relief to Peterborough people after enduring numerous closures by various banks over the last few years.

Last year, Peterborough MP Paul Bristow urged the big banks ‘not to leave the people behind’ as statistics revealed that nearly a third of banks in Peterborough had closed over seven years while North West Cambridgeshire has just two branches left open.

Banks that have closed branches in Peterborough recently include Royal Bank of Scotland, TSB and Barclays.

Mr Bristow said: “ My message to the banks is don’t leave people behind.

“There are still so many people who rely on in-person banking and cash.”

Peterborough's HSBC branch is earmarked for revamp as bank announces 114 closures nationally