Lloyds Banking Group to close 44 additional branches

Britain's Lloyds Banking Group is axing an additional 44 bank branches across England and Wales in 2021, as part of a plan to cut costs.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic and fewer customers using its branches, the lender confirmed the cuts in a statement.

"Like many businesses on the high street, we must change for a future where branches will be used in a different way, and visited less often," Vim Maru, retail director for Lloyds, said.

The bank had already announced last November that it planned to shut down 56 branches, taking the total number of branches that were set to close to 100.

Union Unite has criticised the move and said the branches continued to provide an essential service for communities.

"In recent times LBG has spent significant resources to sell its message of 'Helping Britain Recover', Unite national officer Caren Evans said.

"Unite seriously question how this decision to walk away from local communities promotes this message at a time when the customers will rely on the financial services sector support more than ever."

The bank said a third of the branches which were closing were located in large towns and cities, with another branch nearby.

The branches will close between September and November, with 29 Lloyds Bank and 15 Halifax branches set to go.

The locations of the Lloyds branches are: Bournemouth Westbourne, Cardiff Rumney, Leeds Horsforth, Northwood, Stony Stratford, Church Village, Morley, London Regent Street, Oakham, Brixham, Quinton, Mildenhall, Berkeley Square, Faversham, Brighton Preston Circus, Gants Hill, Halstead, Holsworthy, Henley-on-Thames, Hendon, Kempston, Towcester, Kentish Town, Tadley, Bromborough, Cheltenham Bath Road, Haslemere, Newport Maindee, and Sedgley Dudley.

The Halifax branches to shut are: Manchester Cross Street, Plaistow West Ham, Chesham, Chertsey, Fleet, Harpenden, Potters Bar, Kenilworth, Hinckley, Market Harborough, Upminster, Rugeley, Cheshunt, Pinner, and Chesterfield Central Pavement.

This will leave 779 Lloyds Bank branches, 560 Halifax branches and 184 Bank of Scotland branches open across the UK.