Investigation: Yorkshire Bank Closures & Community Impact in Leeds

This research proposal investigates the impact of Yorkshire Bank branch closures in Leeds on local communities. The introduction highlights the bank's role as a financial institution and its contribution to the economy, particularly in northern England. The rationale emphasizes the need to identify the effects of closures, including the reasons behind them and the impact on the bank's operations. The research aims to determine the impact of bank closures on local communities, with objectives focusing on the concept of banks for local growth, the importance of banks, and the reasons for closures. The literature review explores the concept of banks for community growth, including CSR activities, lending/depositing, disposable income, and savings. It also examines the reasons behind closures, such as embracing digital innovation, delivering superior customer experience, and the trend towards electronic banking. The research methodology outlines the use of a pragmatist research philosophy, a deductive research approach, and qualitative data collection through structured questionnaires. Convenience sampling is used with a sample size of 30 respondents. Ethical considerations, including anonymity, confidentiality, and informed consent, are also addressed. The proposal provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the effects of bank closures on the financial and social well-being of local communities.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Literature Review.............................................................................................................................3
Concept of bank for growth of local communities......................................................................4
Reason behind closure of bank...................................................................................................5
Research methodology.....................................................................................................................6
Resources.........................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

TITLE: An investigation into closure of Yorkshire Bank branches in Leeds and their impact on
local communities.
Introduction
A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates credit.
They accept the deposits from the public and than lend it to other required individuals. Apart
from that banks also contribute to the economy of the country in which it is operating. These
financial institutions are headed by a central bank which is sovereign body under the
constitution. This research is based on Yorkshire bank which is operating its services in England.
This bank specially operates in the northern England. The bank has closed 79 branches in Leeds
which results into loss of almost 400 jobs (Barnatt, 2017). The research is based on an
investigation based on closure of Yorkshire bank and its impact on local communities.
Rationale of the research
The main of conducting this research is to identify the impact of closure of Yorkshire
bank over local communities. Apart from that different aspects are also investigated through
which the reasons of closure of bank will be identified. This will allow the researcher to identify
the reason and impact of such activities. The impact of such activities on the functioning of bank
is also investigated in this research.
Aim: “To investigate the impact of bank branches in Leeds and their impact on local
communities”. A case study on Yorkshire Bank.
Research Objectives
 To identify the concept of banks for growth of local communities.
 To determine the importance of bank on Local communities.
 To analyse the reasons behind closure of bank.
Research Questions
 What is the concept of bank for growth of local communities?
 What is the reason behind closure of bank?
Literature Review
A literature review is the identified information in a particular subject area within a
certain time period. This helps the researcher to continue to develop the facts and finding in a
given topic. The researcher should also keep in mind the exact references through which it is

including new details. In this section, various authors are describe about the impact of bank
branches in Leeds and their impact on local communities. An investigator require to analyse the
concept of bank in order to increasing growth in local communities and society. This will assist
in evaluating the importance of bank within local communities.
Concept of bank for growth of local communities.
According to Younger, 2016, banks have a great impact over the community as they have
different roles which impact directly or indirectly to the local communities. These roles defines
the duties of a bank within that sector. Following are the factors through which bank will impact
on the local communities.
CSR activities
Each and every organization in UK has to incorporate some of its profit margins in the
development of local area. This allows Yorkshire bank to put their profit margin in the
development. They can allow to develop the parks, schools, hospitals or any long term program
which will be in the benefit of local communities. These development opportunities allow the
local communities to take direct benefit from the companies. The working of such banks will
surely allow them to develop their living standard and also way of living. Absence of these
organizations does not allow development to help the local communities.
Lending/ depositing
The basic work of a bank is to accept the deposits and allow lending to the local
community of that region. The acceptance of deposits allow them to lend that money to the
individual who are required that money. This helps the local individual to fulfil its needs and
demands which are hindered due ton lack of capital. This will help the to live with good
standards and improve their financial conditions. Although banks charge some of the interest to
that money but still it does not bother that much to the individual. If Yorkshire bank will close its
will surely impact the financial conditions of the local communities.
Disposable income
By visiting customers within bank allows them to spent some of their income in
transportation and fare etc. this allows the economy of that region to grow. If bank in that region
will not remain in existence than the disposable income of the local community will not grow.
That impact directly on the financial condition of local community. The trade within that region
also gets impacted.

Savings
Banks are used by the local community to deposit their savings. Without their existence
the deposit will remain in the home and allow the intruders to steal that. This increases the crime
rate and the living standard of that region. Apart from that, savings in banks also allows to count
the money having on each individual. Currency at home in cash mode does not allow the
government to know that who have how much money. Thus financial conditions also gets
impacted with the closing of banks.
Reason behind closure of bank
According to Alex Evans, 2017, closure of banks always tends to many difficulties to the
customers. These banks have also several reasons due to which they have to shut down the banks
within that region. The reasons behind shutting down the branches in Leeds include:
Embracing digital innovation
One of the biggest reason why banks are closing their services within Leeds is that it
wants to invest its cost cutting in embracing the digital innovation. They wants to communicate
with their customers through several digital innovation such as mobile, websites, applications,
telephone etc. In order to add these services they require a lot of funds which can help them to
invest in such digital technology. Apart from that, a survey of Yorkshire banks shows that only
25% of the customers visit their branch in a financial year. This leads to increase in cost of
handling the resources such as employees, rent of building etc. By shutting down the branches
they can easily save that cost and invest in the digital technology. Although customers will get
huge dissatisfaction with such step but still digital technology will help them to counter
dissatisfaction. As per the point of view of bank, the step of shutting down the branches will
leads to increase their profitability and satisfying the customers needs.
To deliver superior customer experience
This is another reason of shutting down the bank branches of Yorkshire bank within
Leeds. The bank is looking forward to shut down the their branches and allow them to use digital
mode of banking transactions and deliver a good customer experience. As per the report, the
rivals of bank have already moved themselves towards the digital experience and thus offering
their customers a good functioning of digital transactions. Increase in digital transaction allow
the customer to not visit the branch and saves their time. Apart from that, digital transactions can

help them to use the banking services at any time. Thus impacting their customers to use digital
experience.
To increase trend towards electronic banking
The bank wants to increase trend among the customers towards electronic banking. This
trend will not only help the customers to increase their digital experience but also help the bank
to decrease their cost. This cost cutting will help them to increase their profitability and thus they
can help their customers to serve better. The bank is allowing the customers to use different
modes of online payment such as their application, website etc. They are also allowing their
customers to take cashback at each transaction which will help them to increase number of users
who should use digital transactions system. Thus the bank wants to increase the trend towards
electronic banking.
“To investigate the impact of bank branches in Leeds and their impact on local communities”.
Research methodology
It is a systematic, theoretical analysis of methods applied to a field of study (Dicks,
2018). It is the way through different aspects of research are conducted through which the
reliability and validity of the research can be determined. Following are the components through
which different factors of research methodology are considered.
Research Philosophy
A research philosophy is the value and belief about the way in which data about a
phenomenon should be collected and gathered in better manner. This will assist in analysing
bank current policies and importance for customers. There are two types of research philosophies
through which a research can be conducted such as pragmatist research philosophy and
inetrpretivist research philosophy. In this research pragmatist research philosophy is used as it is
helpful in yielding better results. Apart from that, it also helpful in mixing various tools and
techniques so as to gain better output. This research philosophy is considered to be new as
compared to the alternative research philosophy. Apart from that, this philosophy is helpful for
the researcher to identifying the solutions on the basis of theories and frameworks.
Research Approach
It is the plan and procedure which consist with all steps of broad assumptions to
described method of data collection, analysis and interpretation. In this, concept of bank
branches are directly impact on Leeds and analyse its impact on local communities. It is one of

the important factor through which a research should be conducted. There are two types of
approaches which can be used by the researchers in order to conduct a research such as deductive
and inductive research approach (Marshall and et. al., 2018). In this research deductive research
approach is used which will help the researcher in forming the views for the outcomes to
understand the research objectives. This research approach is helpful in making the structured
questionnaire so as to collect the primary data. Apart from that this research approach also best
fits with the pragmatist research philosophy.
Data Collection
Data collection is one of the important concept in research methodology. There are two
types through which data can be collected such as primary and secondary data collection
technique. Primary data collection is done with the help of interviews, structured questionnaire
etc. In this research a structured questionnaire is used to collect the primary data through
respondents (Nshimiye, 2018). Secondary data collection is done with the help of books,
magazines, journals, websites etc. This data is universal in nature and thus help sin collecting the
universal facts and figures.
Research Sampling
Research sampling is the process through which data sample is collected with the help of
respondents. In terms of research sampling convenience sampling approach is taken into
consideration. This approach is helpful in identifying the potential respondents so as to collect
the primary data. The number of respondents taken in this research are 30. These respondents
should have proper understanding of the objectives of research so as to collect the accurate data.
Research Choice
The research choice depends upon the way through which research is conducted. There
are two types of research choice available for the researcher such as qualitative and quantitative.
In this research qualitative research approach is used as it best fits with the pragmatist research
philosophy (Shapland and et. al., 2017). Qualitative research is conducted on the basis of
concepts and theories while quantitative research is used on the basis of statistics. The
respondents for the primary research were individuals along with knowledge of banks which
directly impact on local communities. They are offer various services and facilities to their
customers by satisfy their needs.
Ethical consideration

To conduct a research ethically there are three parameters which should be followed by
the researcher. These includes anonymity, confidentiality and informed consent. Research ethics
helps the researcher to conduct a research which is robust and relevant. Anonymity shows that
the researcher should not include the personal details of respondents within the research.
Confidentiality shows that the data used in the research should be shown to the person who is
authentic to it. It will help the researcher to protect the data of research. In the end, informed
consent allows the researcher to select the respondents who are ware about the objectives of the
research. This will help it in making a relevant and robust research.
Resources
Resources are the essentials which are necessary for conducting a research. The
necessary resources required to conduct a research are time and money. The importance of time
and money with respect to conducting research is shown below:
Time
It is one of the important component in conducting a research. Every research required a
good essential time to complete it (Vik, 2017). Every researcher should take proper time for the
research so that it can effectively complete it. Completing the research over time will lost the
relevancy and robustness of the research. The value of research will also not remain the same.
Therefore time is one of the important component in conducting the research.
Budget
It is also one of the important component to conduct a research effectively. To collect
various resources a researcher requires proper budget. The researcher should calculate all the
budget according to its needs so that it can effectively complete it. This also help in maintaining
the relevancy and robustness of the research.

Time scale

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Barnatt, J. and Worthington, T., 2017. Quarrying Chert at Bakewell: A Detailed Archaeological
Survey of Pretoria Mine and Observations on Holme Bank, Holme Hall and Endcliffe
Mines. Mining History. 19(6).
Dicks, B., 2018. Coping with pit closure in the 1990s: Women's perspectives. In Gender and
Qualitative Research (1996) (pp. 22-43). Routledge.
Marshall and et. al., 2018. An evolutionary perspective on the British banking crisis. Journal of
Economic Geography.
Nshimiye, B. G., 2018. Internal controls and financial performance of United Bank for Africa in
Kampala-Uganda(Doctoral dissertation, Kampala International University, College of
Economics and Management).
Shapland and et. al., 2017. Developing Restorative Policing in Humberside, South Yorkshire and
West Yorkshire. Centre for Criminological Research.
Vik, P., 2017. ‘The computer says no’: the demise of the traditional bank manager and the
depersonalisation of British banking, 1960–2010. Business History. 59(2). pp.231-249.
Younger, P. L., 2016. How can we be sure fracking will not pollute aquifers? Lessons from a
major longwall coal mining analogue (Selby, Yorkshire, UK). Earth and Environmental
Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 106(2). pp.89-113.
Online
Reason behind closure of bank. 2017. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/full-list-all-the-yorkshire-bank-branches-set-to-
close-1-8340943>.