Hartlepool banks escape the axe as dozens of Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches set to close

The lending giant said on Wednesday, March 23, it would close 24 Lloyds branches, as well as 19 Bank of Scotland and 17 Halifax sites.

But Hartlepool’s Lloyds in York Road, and Halifax branch at Middleton Grange shopping centre are not included in the published list of closures.

Lloyds said the closure plans were due to increasing numbers of customers who are choosing online banking instead of visiting branches in person.

The bank said it had seen a 27% rise in use of its mobile banking app over the last two years, and a 12% rise in regular users of its online banking system.

Vim Maru, the business’s group retail director, said: “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.”

The group currently has 739 Lloyds branches, 553 Halifax branches and 184 Bank of Scotland sites nationwide.

Last week, it was confirmed Hartlepool’s HSBC bank, in York Road, is one of 69 branches to close, also because of customers switching online.

A spokesman for the bank said it hopes to redeploy all 400 staff affected to new roles within 15 miles of their homes.

It said the move was part of a wider “transformation programme” which will see it launch community pop-ups, new self-service machines and digital support for customers.

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