Banking group announces 40 branch closures
Three North West branches are included in the latest closure plans by Lloyds Bank and Halifax.
A total of 40 locations will be closed during the year, the financial group said.
It confirmed 22 Lloyds branches will close, as well as 18 Halifax sites during a three-month period beginning in April.
The increase in digital banking has been blamed for the closure of physical sites. The group said customer visits have declined by about 60% on average over the past five years.
“Branches play an important part in our strategy but we need to have them in the right places, where they are well used,” said Lloyds. “We’ll continue to invest in branches that are being used regularly, alongside our online, mobile app and telephone services.”
The banking group added that all of the branches affected have at least one free to use ATM within a third of a mile and a Post Office within the same distance.
Lloyds said there would be no job losses as staff are being offered roles in other branches or in another part of the business. The closures will leave the group with a network of 1,277 branches.
The North West branches facing closure are Lloyds Banks in Aintree, Longmoor Lane (closing June 6), and Clarendon Place, Hyde, on June 21. The Halifax branch to be axed is in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, on Barlow Moor Road (April 27).
