New Comment - High Street Broking: The direct approach to branching out

Having floated the idea of launching a network of branches in May last year, Hastings Direct officially opened its first shop earlier this month. Edward Fitzmaurice explains why the firm is opening branches in an age increasingly dominated by online sales, and what lessons it hopes to learn before rolling out a greater local presence.

With consolidation in the market having sparked the closure of some branches, many commentators could be forgiven for concluding that there is no longer a place for a high street presence in this age