ING to close quarter of branches with immediate effect

ING is closing 42 of its 170 branches with immediate effect, CEO Ruud van Dusschoten said to the Telegraaf. "The coronavirus has accelerated a long-running plan," he said. He doesn't expect that there will be any forced layoffs.

According to the bank, customers are not only banking online more and more, but the coronavirus resulted in even fewer visiting the branches - even now that the lockdown measures have relaxed. "There are branches that now have an average of two or three customers per hour. That is really very little," Van Dunschoten said to the newspaper.

The regular banking services at the closing branches will be transferred to 42 additional service points. The staff working at the involved branches were informed of the operation on Thursday.

Last year, ING already decided to close 40 percent of its service counters in branches of Bruna, Primera and The Read Shop stores.