Lloyds Banking Group plc (LON:LLOY) plans to close 100 high street branches across the UK later this year, resulting in 325 job cuts.
The lender will shut 54 Lloyds branches, 22 Halifax branches and 24 Bank of Scotland branches between July and October this year.
Lloyds said all affected employees were briefed this morning and unions were consulted in advance.
The bank said the shift towards online banking meant there was less need for its branches.
"These branch closures – previously announced in July 2016 - are in response to changing customer behaviour, and the reduced number of transactions being made in branches," a Lloyds spokesperson said.
"Our branches will continue to play a vital role in our multi-channel approach to meeting the full range of customer needs, and we expect to continue to have the biggest branch network in the UK.
Last July Lloyds said it plans to close 400 of its UK branches by the end of this year. Today's announcement relates to the first batch of closures.
On Monday the group also said it will shrink the size of hundreds of its branches. The new ‘micro branches’ will be staffed by just two people, who will assist customers will using the machines.
Lloyds will in some cases board up the old counter sections of branches to reduce the size. Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches are among those being converted.
Union calls on banks to halt branch closures..
Unite union's national officer, Rob MacGregor, said the bank’s latest statement on the loss of 100 branches will be “painful for high streets across the country to absorb”.
"Unite is angered that another 200 staff have today been told that their job will be cut due to their branch shutting," he said.
“The continuous stream of branch closures announced by the UK’s retail bank branches appears to show no signs of ending.”
MacGregor also slammed the lender's claim about customers' preference towards the use of technology for banking. He said it "simply doesn't ring true" when many customers still value face-to-face engagement with experienced and knowledgeable bank staff.
"The industry must halt these endless branch closure programs and open their eyes to what these closures are doing to rural communities, their disabled customers and the small business customers who depend on access to a local branch."
Lloyds lists locations of 100 branches set to shut...
Bank of Scotland branches will be closed in Beauly, Beith, Bonar Bridge, Coldstream, Dalbeattie, Dalry (Kirkcudbright), Dornoch, Edinburgh Goldenacre, Edinburgh North Morningside, Fortrose, Gatehouse, Glasgow 235 Sauchiehall Street, Gorebridge, Gullane, Helmsdale, Kingussie, Lairg, Lauder, Newtown St Boswells, Port William, Stewarton, West Linton, Wigtown and Wooler.
The areas Lloyds Bank branches will shut are in: Bakewell, Baldock, Blackfield Southampton, Bordon, Bourton-on-the-Water, Brewood, Broadstairs, Broadway, Carterton, Clay Cross, Clifton Village Bristol, Colmore Row Birmingham, Corsham, Derby Road Ipswich, Droylsden, Garstang, Gonville Place Cambridge, Grayshott, Hawkhurst, Haxby Road York, Heckington, High Wycombe Business Centre, Langley, Lichfield Road Stafford, London Law Courts, Longridge, Lymm, Manchester University, Marton-in-Cleveland, Mere, Montpellier Cheltenham, Mosley Street Manchester, New Ash Gree, Nottingham Old Market Square, Pewsey, Pontypridd Treforest Ind Est, Portland, Settle, Southampton Row, Stokenchurch, Sturminster Newton, Tenterden, Tetbury, Three Bridges Crawley, Tidworth, Topsham, Tyldesley, Wadhurst, Wendover, West Dulwich, Wincanton Wirksworth, Wood Lane End Hemel Hempstead, and Yatton.
Halifax branches will close in Alton, Atherton, Banstead, Bexhill-on-Sea, Brighton London Road, Droitwich, Elland, Godalming, Heckmondwike, Hertford, Horley, Huddersfield Mkt St, Leatherhead, Leytonstone, Mill Hill, New Malden, Plymouth Mutley Plain, Sheffield Surrey St, Swansea Oxford St, Wallington, West Swindon, and Weybridge.
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