HSBC opens new multi-million pound 'flagship' branch in Sheffield centre

The opening comes less than two weeks after the closure of the bank’s Fargate branch, also in the city centre. The bank said it had moved to the new location to stay central to Sheffield’s shifting highstreet.

Robert Halliday, HSBC UK’s local director, said: “If we look at this branch specifically, we’re in this location for a number of reasons.

“The highstreet in Sheffield has moved significantly from one end of town to the other, and we are a retail bank, therefore we need to be in the retail element of the town.

“The core principle is that we are here for our community, and we are investing heavily. This is a multi million pound investment into the community of Sheffield, to show our commitment to the city and to show that we will be here for many years to come.”

The move comes after in November of 2022, HSBC announced that it would close 114 branches over the following 12 months.

Despite the closures, however, the bank said it had upgraded over 100 branches, and that the Sheffield opening marked its second new branch this year.

Oli O’Donoghue, managing director of HSBC UK’s Branch Network, said: “We continue to invest tens of millions of pounds into our branch network and those local communities. To help provide a great banking environment for our customers we have upgraded well over 100 branches so far this year, and our strong focus going forward i on maintaining and improving our local presence, alongside digital and remote banking.

“Our new Sheffield branch is the second we have opened this year and has been designed with the customer at its heart, setting a very high standard for what customers can expect from their HSBC UK branches in the future.”

The Sheffield branch will be home to a number of new technological advancements for the firm, including the use of “intelligent” lighting across different areas, which change to reflect different times of the day.

The branch will also feature a sensory room with games and an interactive projection wall for families with small children to have meetings with staff. The new branch is also taking part in a pilot to trial on-demand voice guidance for visually impaired customers.

It is also home to what HSBC has described as “state-of-the-art” cash machines which enable cheque depositing, cash deposits and cash withdrawals within the same machine.

The site also has many features made from recycled materials, as well as accessibility features such as height adjustable tables and desks and wide doors for wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

The branch will also have a Safe Space for anyone in immediate need of discrete space to reach out to friends and family, contact specialist support services or to phone a helpline.

HSBC has a rich history in Sheffield city Centre. In 1890, York City and County Banking, which was later acquired by Midland Bank (now HSBC) opened a branch at Great Northern House on Fargate.

In September 1898, the York Bank bought property in the High Street. The old building on the site was demolished, and construction of a new building began in 1900. This building was opened for business in 1904 and all the business from Fargate was transferred there. It was then renamed as the Market Place branch.

In 1989, after 85 years at its Market Place address, the office returned to Fargate. A new branch building was designed at No 2, on the corner of Fargate and Church Street.

Mr Halliday noted that the latest move had come after the bank had been looking to move its Sheffield premises for a number of year.

He said: “We had been looking through multiple premises over multiple years to make sure that the investment was in the right place. This isn't just the first unit that has come along.

“It happened to fall into place that we had a new building as opposed to a refurbishment of an existing building, which from an architectural context is a key piece in this.”