AIB Group PLC decided to shut 15 branches by 2021-end after a strategic review found customers increasingly prefer digital banking. A major part of the branch closures will be in urban and suburban locations, and following the closures, the lender will have a total of 170 branches. The bank said accounts in the branches that are closing will be moved to neighboring locations. Additionally, the bank said the closures, which will be phased, will not result in compulsory redundancies.