Rationalization and Restructuring in the Financial Services Sector

Despite developments in non‐branch financial service provision, such as telephone and home banking, the high‐street outlet will continue to be the main distribution channel. Branch network management is a highly sophisticated task which has been further complicated since the late 1980s by the increasing realization of the role that high‐street outlets can play in achieving marketing objectives. This factor, along with significant developments and changes within the industry, has resulted in a complete rationalization and restructuring of this key distribution channel. Describes the new, efficient, retail‐oriented delivery systems, compares them with Christaller′s Central Place Theory and discusses how these transformations represent a significant and continuing element of change in the urban morphology of UK towns and cities.