Lloyds Banking Group: 19 Bank of Scotland and 41 other branches to close across UK with '124 jobs at risk'

Lloyds Banking Group has said it will shut a further 60 bank branches across the country.

According to trade union Unite, the move is expected to result in 124 job losses, although the company has not specified how many workers will be affected.

The banks to shut will include 24 Lloyds Bank, 19 Bank of Scotland, and 17 Halifax sites across the UK.

The company has said that it hopes to redeploy all staff affected to new roles.

Lloyds has said the move is driven by a surge in online banking over recent years, while branch attendance has dwindled.

The Bank of Scotland branches to close are as follows: Aberdeen 201 Union Street, Alness, Brechin, Broxburn, Carluke, Clarkston, Dunblane, Dyce, Edinburgh Barnton, Edinburgh Shandwick, Forres, Glasgow Riddrie, Innerleithen, Kirkcudbright, Lockerbie, Selkirk, Shotts, Stromness, and Troon.

Vim Maru, group retail director at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “Just like many other high street businesses, fewer customers are choosing to visit our branches.

“Our branch network is an important way for us to support our customers, but we need to adapt to the significant growth in customers choosing to do most of their everyday banking online.”

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has called it an “outrageous decision”.

In a post shared on Twitter, he said: “This outrageous decision from the Bank of Scotland will leave Forres with no bank at all.

“I am urgently seeking talks with Bank of Scotland to urge them to rethink their decision to abandon the residents and businesses of Forres.”

This outrageous decision from the Bank of Scotland will leave Forres with no bank at all.

I am urgently seeking talks with Bank of Scotland to urge them to rethink their decision to abandon the residents and businesses of Forres. https://t.co/O554xiSmPK
— Douglas Ross MP MSP (@Douglas4Moray) March 23, 2022

Caren Evans, national officer for Unite, said: “Lloyds Banking Group must not be allowed to abandon 60 more local communities where bank branches play an essential role.

“The 124 employees who work tirelessly in their communities are dedicated to serving the banking needs of the most vulnerable who depend on their skilled services.

“When a bank branch closes, the heart of the local community is ripped out and the results are devastating. Unite is clear that simply leaving an ATM in place of a vibrant bank branch is wholly insufficient.

“The banking sector needs to answer some serious questions about its corporate social responsibilities and the Government cannot stand back and allow the relentless closure of banks to continue until no more local banking services remain.”