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Is it important to have a high street presence as an advisory firm?

ended 05. June 2025

Do you think it's important to have a high street presence if you're an FS firm - a wealth manager, broker, IFA or accountant, say? Or is it absolutely unnecessary in the digital age and just an extra financial burden? 

12 responses from the Newspage community

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Rob Peters
Principal at Simple Fast Mortgage
Spending thousands on a high street office in 2025 is money better spent elsewhere. Most clients now want flexible, digital and convenience first service, not to sit on a faux leather sofa for a cup of tea in a branded office. Virtual meetings, digital ID checks and online document portals have made in-person meetings optional for the vast majority of transactions. The pandemic showed us clients care more about speed, clarity and communication than the office postcode. Unless you’re in a niche where walk-ins still matter, a high street office is often just an unnecessary financial anchor.
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John Woolfitt
Director at Atlantic Capital Markets
A high street presence is not important for an advisory firm, not necessarily due to the digital era but more so due to the nature of the service. To gain a full hollistic understanding of a client's position and objectives, time must be taken to build a picture and this initial "fact-find" is far better completed in an environment the client feels comfortable in, due to time, privacy and the complexity of the details. Reputation and regulation is far more critical than a high street presence.
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Justin Moy
Managing Director at EHF Mortgages
I had a City Centre High Street office for three years pre-Covid and, on reflection, it was more of a status symbol — and certainly not financially viable. Very little new business came directly through the shopfront and I was in direct competition with major banks and mortgage lenders just a few yards away. Cutting costs and finding good, well-priced offices just a mile outside of the city has cut overheads by more than 50%, and helped grow our business, too.
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Scott Gallacher
Director at Rowley Turton
As we approach our 30th year — and having never had a traditional high street presence — I’d say it’s absolutely not essential for financial advice firms today, especially in the digital age. In fact, in many towns, the high street has become a disadvantage due to punitive parking charges and restrictive driving policies. Our office is based on a modern business park with easy motorway access and free parking, making it far more convenient for both clients and staff. Interestingly, a local firm of solicitors recently told us that relocating off the high street completely transformed their business — attracting a higher calibre of client and allowing them to present a more professional image. For us, it’s about accessibility and professionalism, not shopfront visibility.
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Pete Mugleston
Mortgage Advisor & Managing Director at onlinemortgageadvisor.co.uk
I think the wave of banks closing down branches on the high street over the past 10 or so years makes it clear it's no longer essential to have a presence on the high street in the digital age. A lot of interactions and client research now take place online, so it makes more sense to have a larger presence online than a traditional brick-and-mortar one. This is before considering the overheads that come with a physical location, and the fact that you can reach people online than you can on the local high street.
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Tony Redondo
Founder at Cosmos Currency Exchange
In 2025, a high street presence for financial services firms isn’t essential but has value for specific markets. Physical offices build trust with older or high-value clients (e.g., retirees) and aid complex cases like pension transfers or post-Waller-Edwards mortgage checks, reducing FCA fine risks. However, high rents, business rates, and associated overheads strain budgets. Digital tools meet 80% of UK adults’ banking needs, according to Statista in 2024. Younger and tech-savvy clients prefer apps, making physical offices less relevant. A hybrid model that combines minimal physical presence for trust, plus digital for scale, optimizes costs. Firms should assess client needs, redirecting rent savings to tech if fully digital.
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Ritesh Sood B.A CeMAP®Diploma R05
CEO & Founder at Soul Mortgages
For most firms, maintaining a permanent high street presence is no longer essential. The majority of client interactions—consultations, document reviews, and onboarding—can now be handled efficiently through video calls, secure portals, and digital communication. If face-to-face meetings are occasionally needed, flexible solutions like on-demand meeting spaces or co-working hubs offer a professional setting without the long-term cost. Even for vulnerable clients, tech can help, or you can meet them at their home for maximum convenience.

The exception might be estate agencies, where a physical branch can still add value by showcasing local properties and attracting walk-in enquiries. But for wealth managers, brokers, and accountants, the benefits of a high street office have dwindled. Today’s clients prioritise convenience, responsiveness, and expertise over a prestigious postcode, but we still maintain a prestigious postcode and can book meeting rooms as and when required.
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Colin Low
Managing Director at Kingsfleet
'High Street' isn't the term I would support, but would definitely encourage public-facing. Many of our Town and City Centres are fairly bleak places with travel and parking being far from straightforward. However, to have a welcoming office that is easy to reach with ample car parking space, makes the experience much better for clients. We have noticed that clients in vulnerable situations — for example, going through bereavement or at risk of being scammed — are finding the reduction in Bank branches problematic, whereas we can still provide tea and biscuits and a listening ear in a convenient location.
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Ricky Dosanjh
Director at Reeds Financial
A High Street presence used to be must-have trophy but keeping a physical High Street office open isn’t exactly cheap. Between rent, utilities, signage, furniture, biscuits for the meeting room… it all adds up. Plus, the return will be near proportional, especially if most of your business is coming through referrals or digital marketing.

These days, most client relationships are sparked, nurtured, and managed online. Whether it's a quick Google search, video discovery calls, or a digital onboarding journey, clients now shop online for everything, and financial advice is no different. I think it’s more efficient this way.

But for the modern firm; the smart play is to invest in a strong digital presence. A good website, sharp branding, intuitive client journeys, and maybe some social media ads. For the personal touch, if local enough a house visits or meet neutrally in a local coffee shop – even with today’s prices of coffee – still cheaper than running an office on the High Street.
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Kevin Drew
Managing Director at Ascentant Accountancy
The growth of our Accountancy practice exploded when we opened up our second office on the High Street in a Market Town in Derbyshire; But it is largely linked to our Community Engagement which can't be achieved online or from a non Public Serviced Office.

We have a Business Lounge which is accessible to the Community for low cost Co working and offer it for free to Charities and CIC's for meetings.

We engage with Small Businesses by hosting Workshops and Networking events; We engage with Local Crafters and Traders by hosting Pop up Shops, Indoor Markets and displaying their goods in our Shopfront.

We signpost Businesses to grants and funding, host Mental Health Drop in Events with local Charities and we fundraise for Local causes.

Simply opening up on the High Street is not enough.

Our Community Engagement has been responsible for rapid growth of our Business in a Digital Age as we are accessible, responsive and provide face to face peace of mind that can't be achieved online.
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Gareth Hazelden
Director at Atlantic Capital Markets
I’ve worked in advisory stockbroking since 2008, and we’ve been based in Cornwall throughout — even though the vast majority of our clients have never lived nearby. Over the years, we’ve won multiple international awards and focused on passing savings and efficiencies directly on to our clients. Let’s be honest: if you want to place a trade, you haven’t needed to visit your broker’s office for decades. What used to happen over the phone now happens online — instantly, seamlessly, and globally. In today’s world, physical location matters far less than service, speed and trust.
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Sean Horton
Managing Director at Respect Mortgages
High street shopfronts are largely yesterday's news for mortgage brokers. Most clients find you online anyway, and those hefty rent bills don't generate enough walk-in business to justify the extra expense.

Your money's better spent on a decent website, CRM and digital marketing.

An accessible office outside the centre gives you professional credibility for those important face-to-face meetings whilst slashing overheads.

The high street served its purpose when mortgage advice was a walk-in business, but today's clients do their research online.