Dozens of banks are to shut in the latest brutal cuts programme facing UK bank customers. Barclays, Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Lloyds are to axe 63 branches in the months ahead, with high street services closing in places across Britain.
The Times reports that Lloyds, which includes Halifax and Bank of Scotland, will shut 53 branches between September and May. Barclays will shut ten branches between August and September.
The move is yet another hammer blow for people who rely on in-person services to do their banking – the elderly in particular. Thousands of UK branches have shut over the last decade as more people turn to digital banking.
The banks are blaming this trend for the latest moves. Lloyds says far fewer people are using their local banks, with numbers down by around 55 per cent on average over the past five years at the 53 branches they are scrapping.
They said one unnamed bank facing closure had seen its numbers fall by 73 per cent. It comes after the corporation shut 47 branches under the Bank of Scotland, Halifax and Lloyds brands this year already, while over 270 Lloyds branches were closed in 2022.
Lloyds Banking Group said: “Our customers are increasingly using digital channels to manage their money, we now have over 20 million customers choosing to bank online. Alongside our digital and mobile banking options, we’re introducing more community bankers to provide face to face banking support in communities.
“Customers can also bank with us over the phone, through the Post Office or in a banking hub. All colleagues at these branches will be offered a role at another branch or elsewhere in our business.”
Barclays said: “Our branch network and the colleagues who work in them remain a vital part of what we offer our customers. Yet with customers visiting our branches less and less each year, we must constantly assess how and why our branches are used and make decisions based on that insight. There will be times when this means that we will make the difficult decision to close a branch.”
Halifax said: “When making changes to our branch network, we always look to understand the impact on our customers – including how they continue to access banking services. Because of this, we may sometimes have a Community Banker visit the area after the branch closes. Or as part of an independent review a Banking Hub may be set up in a nearby location.”
Yet there are concerns about the impact such closures have on people who need face-to-face banking services who lack access to a computer. Age UK says tens of thousands of older people “rely on face-to-face banking”.
The charity commissioned a recent poll of retired people. It said around 75 per cent of respondents want to carry out at least one transaction in a branch. A total of 27 per cent said they manage their accounts using a bank or other location such as a Post Office – and not online.
Full list of Lloyds, Barclays, Halifax and Bank of Scotland closures
Bank of Scotland
Aberfoyle – Main Street – October 24
Aviemore – Main Road – May 21
Ballater – Bridge Street – October 11
Braemar – Invercauld Road – October 17
Crieff – Galvelmore Street – February 12
Cumnock – Townhead Street – February 12
Cupar – The Cross – October 2
Dunbar – High Street – May 21
Dunkeld – High Street – December 5
Duns – Market Square – October 16
Eyemouth – Manse Road – October 9
Falkland – High Street – December 5
Fort Augustus – Station Road – October 5
Girvan – Dalrymple Street – February 21
Jedburgh – High Street – February 14
Newcastleton – Douglas Square – October 31
Ullapool – West Argyle Street – October 23
Halifax
Canvey Island – Furtherwick Road – November 6
Craigavon – Market Street – October 4
Feltham – A The Centre – October 5
Grantham – High Street – November 8
Great Barr – Walsall Road – October 4
Harborne – High Street – September 26
Haywards Heath – South Road – September 25
Kingstanding – Kingstanding Road – September 27
Larne – Main Street – November 14
Leominster – West Street – November 13
London – Finchley Road – September 20
Malvern – Church Street – November 6
Paignton – Torquay Road – November 28
Southampton – Gordon Buildings – September 26
Todmorden – Halifax Road – September 28
Lloyds
Alresford – West Street – November 27
Bournemouth – Wimborne Road – September 27
Brighouse – Bradford Road – October 10
Cromer – West Street – October 25
Formby – Chapel Lane – October 30
Gloucester – Bristol Road – September 18
Hazlemere – Penn Road, Hazlemere – September 21
Kidlington – Oxford Road – September 28
Kingsbridge – Fore Street – October 11
Leeds – The Penny Hill Centre – September 25
Liphook – The Square – September 21
Llanishen – Kimberley Terrace – October 24
March – High Street – October 18
Northampton – Wellingborough Road – October 9
North Walsham – Market Place – November 7
Pershore – Broad Street – February 20
Prenton – Woodchurch Road – October 16
Slough – Buckingham Avenue – October 5
South Molton – East Street – September 19
St David’s – Cross Square – November 27
Thirsk – Market Place – October 31
Barclays
Cambridge – Addenbrookes Hospital – September 15
Chalfont St Peter – High Street – August 31
Harpenden – High Street – September 6
Haverhill – High Street – September 8
Leominster – Corn Street – September 1
London – Finchley Road – September 6
London – Lower Ground Floor, The Arcade, Westfield – September
London – Putney High Street – September 1
St Andrews – Market Street – September 8
Source : Coventry Live
