Lloyds to axe 11 bank branches across Scotland

● Cuts will see 49 branches across UK closed down

Lloyds Banking Group is to close nearly a dozen branches across Scotland as part of a UK wide cuts which will see it shed 49 branches and almost 100 jobs.

Branches under the Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Lloyds brands will be affected, resulting in 99 job losses, with 11 branches going across urban and rural swathes of Scotland.

The lender said the closures

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are partly in response to changing customer behaviour and the declining number of transactions being made in branches.

However, the union representing many of the bank’s staff said the closures were “unnecessary” and ill-founded.

The banks set to close north of the border all operate under the Bank of Scotland brand. The affected branches are: Alva; Bridge of Allan; Carnoustie; Dalmuir; Denny; Edinburgh Piershill; Giffnock; Glasgow Scotstoun; Lochgelly; Prestwick; and Stirling Munro Road.

A spokesman for the bank said: “Customers are increasingly choosing to use digital and mobile channels for their everyday banking needs. As a consequence, the number of customers visiting some of our branches has declined in recent years.

“In response to this, we have confirmed the locations of some branches which will close next year across Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland.”

Earlier this year, the lender said it would shut down 100 branches as it swung the axe on 200 jobs.

The Unite union condemned the latest round of closures, saying the move undermined growth and would leave more communities without access to “valued local banking.”

Rob Macgregor, Unite’s national officer, said: “Lloyds Banking Group needs to halt this unnecessary bank branch closure programme.

“Local communities are making it clear that the closure of their local branch excludes customers who cannot use digital means to conduct their financial transactions.”

He added: “Having returned to profitability Lloyds needs to stop ignoring its corporate social responsibilities.”

The bank unveiled a hefty rise in third-quarter profits last month as the once statebacked lender hailed a “strong financial performance.”

The company saw pre-tax profits more than double to £1.95bn.