Union anger as Lloyds reveals closure of Midland branches

A LLOYDS Bank branch in Birmingham city centre will shut this summer as part of a round of closures.

The branch in Colmore Row will close on July 18 – one of several across the West Midlands which will go during 2017 – although Lloyds Bank continues to have outlets in New Street and Temple Row.

Lloyds Banking Group, which also runs the Halifax and Bank of Scotland names, said it planned to shut 100 branches in total during with the loss of 212 jobs.

In addition, there will be a restructuring of some management and HR roles with the creation of 96 new posts across the group, meaning a total net loss of 325 jobs including those in the branches. The other West Midlands Lloyds branches earmarked for the axe and their closure dates are: Lichfield Road, in Stafford (July 17); Broadway, in Worcestershire (September 12); and Brewood, in Staffordshire (October 9).

Lloyds Bank branches in Kings Norton, High Street, in Lye, and Pen- 2017 kridge, near Stafford, all closed in March. In addition, the Halifax branch in Droitwich will close on July 20. In total, 54 Lloyds 22 Halifax and 24 Bank of Scotland branches will close during 2017.

Rob MacGregor, national officer with trade union Unite, said: “The loss of a further 100 local banks will be painful for high streets across the country to absorb.

“Unite is angered that another 200 staff have been told that their job will be cut due to their branch shutting.

“Lloyds Banking Group’s rationale for branch closures is the claimed customer preference towards the use of technology across banking.

“However, this simply doesn’t ring true when it’s clear that many customers still value the 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 said that, despite the closures, 90 per cent of its customers would still be within five miles of one of its branches.

Lloyds Banking Group said: “These branch closures are in response to changing customer behaviour and the reduced number of transactions being made in branches.

“As we continue to make investment in our network, we will further expand the mobile branch fleet across Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Bank, with the addition of nine new mobile branches. This will provide continuity of services in some of those areas affected, alongside other ways to access banking locally.”