In Italy, 76 bank branches have closed each month during the last five years. From 2019 to 2024, there are 4,557 fewer branches. In 2024, bank branches fell below the threshold of 20,000 (19,755). This is supported by a research of the Uilca trade union, which shows that Italians' dissatisfaction with the closing of bank branches in their town remains high, with nine out of ten Italians expressing discontent. The human relationship has been proven to be critical for accessing banking services: for nine out of ten people, ATMs cannot replace face-to-face interactions. The absence of a bank has a detrimental impact on the tendency to invest and the option of living or not in a territory: for seven out of ten persons, the proximity of a bank branch affects "a lot" or "quite a lot" in the "propensity to invest in financial products"; for eight out of ten individuals, the bank is "a useful place to get support and assistance with savings, investments, and loans". Two out of ten interviewees report that they know individuals who have departed their municipality of residence as a result of the absence of bank branches and other essential services. Banks reinforce their status as a garrison of legality and support for businesses and territories: for seven out of ten individuals, the absence of a bank or a similar essential service significantly influences their decision to remain in or leave a municipality.