United Bank to shut 5 Connecticut, Massachusetts branches, bringing to 9 shuttered banks

United Bank is closing five more branches by spring, bringing to nine the number shut since the bank was established in April with the merger of Rockville Bank and United Bank.

The Journal Inquirer reports (http://bit.ly/1wAiVxW ) that the bank is closing a branch in East Windsor, two in Northampton, Massachusetts, and one each in Northborough and Northbridge, both in Massachusetts.

CEO William H.W. Crawford did not disclose the number of affected employees.

"Based on many factors, we just couldn't make these five branches successful," he said.

In deciding to close the branches, Crawford said the bank, based in Glastonbury, considered factors such as location and performance.

The closings will result in a one-time $5.5 million pre-tax charge on the bank's fourth-quarter earnings.

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Information from: Journal Inquirer, http://www.journalinquirer.com