Branch closures at Barclays and Woolwich could affect Colchester, Braintree, Clacton and Chelmsford.
Barclays' £5.3 billion takeover of the Woolwich will mean the closure of more than 100 bank branches throughout the country.
Although so far no branches have been earmarked for closure, a spokesman from the Woolwich said: "In smaller rural towns that have both a Barclays and a Woolwich within 100 metres of each other, it is possible that one of them faces closure."
The spokesman said the takeover will not necessarily mean the exclusive closure of branches of the Woolwich. Branches of Barclays are just as likely to close in areas where a branch of each operate near each other.
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