ALMOST a third of bank branches in the north have been shut within the past five years, according to Which?
Dozens more which remain open have slashed their opening hours, with some just open for one or two days a week.
Research from the consumer watchdog found there were 3,303 bank branch closures across Britain and the north between January 2015 and August 2019.
In all, 29 per cent of Northern Ireland branches closed over the period.
It comes just one week after Which? revealed that free-to-use cash machines are disappearing in Northern Ireland faster than any other UK region.
Its analysis found that 296 free ATMs in the north have either closed or switched to fee-paying during the last year and a half.
Ulster Bank led the way with branch closures here, shutting 35 in the five year period, equivalent to 44 per cent of its entire northern network.
First Trust closed half of its branches over the same period, leaving it with 15 outlets.
Bank of Ireland closed eight (22 per cent), while the north’s biggest bank, Danske, closed just six.
However the Danish-owned lender had already culled almost half of its branch network between 2010 and 2014.
Danske Bank (formerly Northern) had boasted 82 branches in 2010, but it shut around three-dozen in the four years subsequent.
The closures around the north have extended beyond the four main lenders. In January, Santander announced that it would close three branches here.
According to Which? the entire UK bank network shrank from 9,803 to 6,549 over the five years.
Of the branches that remain open, 298 are now operating with reduced opening hours of four days a week or less.
Which? argued that while some banks offer mobile branches, they do not offer the same convenience of access as a permanent bank branch.
The watchdog recently wrote to Chancellor Sajid Javid calling for action to guarantee people's ability to access and pay with cash.
Jenny Ross, Which? money editor, said: "Banks are closing their branches at an alarming rate, which risks shutting many people out of vital financial services and affecting their ability to access their own cash.
"Bank branches play a crucial role within communities, serving consumers and businesses alike. The industry must ensure no-one is left behind by the digital transition and that when banks shut their doors, they don't shut their customers out of important banking services."
Which? said it used several sources to record the data.
Martin Kearsley, banking director at the Post Office, said: "Almost every bank customer - whether personal or small business - can access their usual high street bank account to get cash out at any Post Office branch, make a cash or cheque deposit or check their balance.
"The services we offer are vital, especially for rural and remote communities, and they provide an opportunity for face-to-face interaction, which is important to many."
