KBC Bank to permanently close all but one of its branches in Ireland today

So, there’s some pretty wild news today about KBC Bank in Ireland - they’re shutting down almost all of their branches, leaving only one open. Can you believe it? I mean, we’re talking about a pretty big bank here, with over 500 employees affected by the move.

From what I gather, KBC Bank is pointing to the increasing popularity of online banking and digital services as the reason for this decision. Basically, they think that people just don’t really need to go into physical banks anymore, since they can do everything they need to do online. I have to admit, I’m kind of shocked by this; I mean, I still like going into a bank and talking to someone face-to-face!

The article mentions that KBC Bank has been struggling financially in Ireland since the Covid-19 pandemic hit - I guess a lot of businesses have been hit hard by the shutdowns and social distancing measures. But still, it seems like such a drastic move to close all but one branch.

One thing that stood out to me is that KBC Bank is apparently going to try to help their employees find new jobs within the company or elsewhere. That’s definitely a positive - I always appreciate when companies give their employees some support during rough times.

Overall, I think this is definitely an interesting and important topic to keep an eye on. It’s clear that the pandemic has accelerated changes that were already happening in terms of how we use banks and financial services. It makes me wonder what other big changes we might see in the years to come!