A HSBC branch will temporarily close as work is carried out to turn it into a counterless service.

The international bank said its Llandudno branch will be fitted with self-service machines and staff members will be in store to provide advice on how to use them.

It forms part of the HSBC restructure to set up Digital Service Banks, which provide traditional banking transactions using self-service technology.

The change is expected to be made on July 5 with the branch due to close for one week after that date whilst work is carried out. Customers will be given four weeks' notice ahead of the closure.

A HSBC spokesperson said: “We announced our branch network plans earlier this year where we explained how our branches need to evolve in order for it to be sustainable.

“The changes we are making to the Llandudno branch are being made to provide it with a more sustainable future, not as a stepping stone towards closure.

“We are investing in this branch, not just to remove the counter, but to add new furnishings, investing in technology and upskilling our colleagues.”

HSBC’s Colwyn Bay branch will be the nearest face-to-face service once the work is completed.

In January, HSBC confirmed it would close 82 branches across the UK between April and September, bringing its total number of branches to 511. HSBC said in-store bank use has fallen by a third over the last five years while nine in ten customers carry out banking activities over the phone and internet, a trend that has accelerated during lockdown.

Jackie Uhi, HSBC UK head of network, said at the time: “Giving more and better options to enable customers to manage their finances, including self-service, has uncovered a latent demand.

"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.

"In recent years we have introduced more digital options to make our customers’ lives easier - depositing cheques or putting a temporary block on a card, for example – and we know that customers are becoming more comfortable primarily using online and mobile banking to take control of their finances."