Lloyds Banking Group has announced the closure of 15 additional Bank of Scotland branches as part of a broader strategy to reduce its physical presence across the UK.
This decision is part of a larger plan that will see a total of 60 branches from Lloyds Bank, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland shuttered between October 2024 and June 2025.
The bank cites a significant decline in branch usage as the primary reason for the closures.
According to Lloyds Banking Group, the use of the affected branches has fallen by an average of 52% over the past five years.
The shift towards digital banking has been a key factor, with the group reporting that 19 million customers now use mobile banking services.
Customers affected by the closures will still have access to banking services through alternative channels.
These include online and mobile banking, telephone banking, and the use of Post Office branches for basic transactions such as cash withdrawals and deposits.
The bank’s mobile branch service, which has been operating in some rural areas, ceased operations on 31 May 2024.
This decision comes as the bank reports a 90% decrease in mobile branch usage since 2018.
As high street banks continue to reshape their physical presence, concerns remain about access to cash and banking services, particularly for vulnerable customers and those in rural communities.
The closure of these Bank of Scotland branches is likely to fuel ongoing debates about the future of banking in Scotland and the UK as a whole.
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