Changes in Community Bank announced
Today, Lloyds Banking Group announced its third major restructuring of the year, involving one announcement impacting Community Banks. This brings the total to 15 separate announcements already made this year.
This transformation strategy will see 136 branch closures as part of its ongoing efforts to adapt to changing customer behaviour and modernise services.
We know that announcements like these cause immense worry and uncertainty for colleagues, as the full impact on roles and futures only becomes clearer as branches close. Accord is here to help members navigate this difficult time.
Why are branches closing?
Customer banking habits continue to evolve, with more people choosing to bank online or via mobile apps, reducing footfall in branches. The Group is consolidating services to reflect these changes, ensuring resources are focused on improving customer experience across its brands. These closures aim to enhance efficiency while allowing customers to access services at any branch within the Lloyds, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland networks.
Key changes & timelines
The closure of 136 branches is broken down as follows:
14 Bank of Scotland branches
Closing branch | Pool |
Alexandria | Western Scotland |
Annan | South West Scotland |
Barrhead | Paisley |
Bishopbriggs | Cumbernauld |
Edinburgh Corstorphine West | Livingston |
Edinburgh Wester Hailes | Livingston |
Helensburgh | Western Scotland |
Kirkintilloch | Cumbernauld |
Moffat | South West Scotland |
Peebles | South East Scotland |
Pitlochry | Dundee & Perth |
Sanquhar | South West Scotland |
Thornhill | South West Scotland |
Uddingston | Cumbernauld |
61 Halifax branches
Closing branch | Pool |
Balham | South London |
Bangor (N Ireland) | Northern Ireland |
Barrow in Furness | Fylde & Cumbria |
Bexleyheath | SE London |
Birmingham Bearwood | Birmingham |
Blackpool Lytham Road | Fylde & Cumbria |
Bolton | Warrington |
Brentwood | Chelmsford |
Bromsgrove | Gloucester |
Cannon Street | Central London |
Carmarthen | South Wales |
Castleford | Doncaster |
Cirencester | Gloucester |
Battersea | SW London |
Crewe | Stoke-on-Trent |
Derby East St | Nottingham |
Eltham | SE London |
Epsom | South London |
Erdington | Wolverhampton |
Felixstowe | Norwich |
Fleetwood | Fylde & Cumbria |
Folkestone | Canterbury |
Fulham | West London |
Gainsborough | Lincoln |
Hayes | SW London |
Hexham | Tyne & Wear |
Horsforth | Leeds |
Hove | Brighton |
Huntingdon | Cambridge |
Kingsbury | West London |
Kingswood | Bristol |
Launceston | Cornwall & Devon |
Leek | Stoke-on-Trent |
Letchworth | Cambridge |
London Strand | Central London |
Long Eaton | Nottingham |
Mold | Chester |
Nelson | Preston |
Northwich | Warrington |
Omagh | Northern Ireland |
Peterlee | Middlesbrough |
Pontypridd | South Wales |
Rayleigh | Chelmsford |
Rhyl | Chester |
Richmond | SW London |
Sittingbourne | Canterbury |
Skegness | Lincoln |
Sleaford | Lincoln |
Southport | Preston |
St Annes | Fylde & Cumbria |
St Austell | Cornwall & Devon |
Stevenage Queensway | Cambridge |
Telford | Stoke-on-Trent |
Walkden | Warrington |
Wallasey | Chester |
Waltham Cross | North London |
Welwyn Garden City | Cambridge |
Wickford | Chelmsford |
Wilmslow | Manchester |
Winton | Southampton |
Woolwich | SE London |
61 Lloyds branches
Closing branch | Pool |
Biggleswade | Luton |
Bishop Auckland | Consett |
Blandford | South Dorset |
Bolton Farnworth | Bolton |
Bridgnorth | Wolverhampton |
Brigg | Scunthorpe |
Bristol Bishopsworth | Bristol |
Bristol Clifton | Bristol |
Bristol Patchway | Bristol |
Bromsgrove | Kings Heath |
Bury | Rochdale |
Cardiff Whitchurch | Cardiff |
Caterham | Eastbourne |
Chard | Taunton |
Coventry Foleshill | Coventry |
Dorchester | South Dorset |
Dunstable | Luton |
East Grinstead | Eastbourne |
Falmouth | Cornwall & North Devon |
Feltham | Hounslow |
Ferndown | South Dorset |
Fulham | Hammersmith |
Glossop | Manchester |
Godalming | Guildford |
Herne Bay | Maidstone |
Hexham | Newcastle |
Hornchurch Station Lane | Southend |
Houghton le Spring | Sunderland |
Hucknall | Nottingham |
Kidderminster | Northfield |
Launceston | Cornwall & North Devon |
Leeds Crossgates | Leeds |
Leominster | Worcester |
Leyland | North West England |
Liverpool Breck Rd | Merseyside |
Loughton | Luton |
Louth | Scunthorpe |
Ludlow | Worcester |
Manchester Moston | Manchester |
Manchester Newton Heath | Manchester |
Margate | Maidstone |
Pembroke Dock | Swansea |
Peterlee Yoden Way | Consett |
Plymstock | Exeter |
Pontardawe | Barry |
Pontyclun | Barry |
Prudhoe | Newcastle |
Rayleigh | Southend |
Seaton | Exeter |
Sheffield Woodhouse | Sheffield |
Shipston-on-Stour | Worcester |
Sleaford | Peterborough |
Southall | Hounslow |
Southsea | Portsmouth |
Stoke-on-Trent | Stafford |
Thornbury Avon | Bristol |
Tooting | Croydon |
Tunstall | Stafford |
Walthamstow | Ilford |
Welwyn Garden City | Luton |
Wymondham | Norwich |
Of the 136 closing branches, 44 are in locations where there’s another LBG brand branch close by. This follows the announcement by Jayne Opperman earlier this month, confirming customers will soon be able to transact across all branches within the three brands. These closures include 34 Halifax branches and 10 Lloyds branches. Bristol Pool will see the highest number of closures (5 branches).
The closure programme begins on 7th May 2025 and is scheduled to conclude by 12th May 2026.
Impact on colleagues
Q2 2025 Closures:
- Colleagues in “Co-Serve” branches: initially deployed to the host branch.
- Over-resourced Pools: Grade A & B colleagues may be redeployed to other branches (across brands or Pools), Personal Banking or Fraud & Disputes. Where no suitable role is available, colleagues can express an interest in voluntary redundancy.
- Under-resourced Pools: Grade A & B staff will be asked to move to another branch within their Pool, regardless of brand.
- Grade C+ colleagues: No redundancies are planned for Bank Managers.
Post Q2 2025 Closures:
- Consultations with A and B grade colleagues will begin approximately three months before branch closure dates to explore redeployment options or preferences.
How Accord is supporting members
Accord understands the disruption these closures will cause for colleagues and customers alike. We’re committed to supporting our members every step of the way, ensuring their interests are fully considered and their rights protected throughout the restructure process
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
A Reminder for D+ Colleagues
Since 1 January 2025, consultation on collective redundancies for Grades D - G has moved to Employee Forums. While these forums provide an avenue for discussion, they cannot match the personalised, expert representation and support that Accord offers.
Accord has retained engagement with the business for individual members in grades D - G, ensuring your voice is heard at the highest levels of LBG. Individual representation and advice for D+ members remain core to what we do, and we strongly encourage anyone not already in the union to join.
This is a challenging time for everyone at LBG. Change is rarely easy, but you don’t have to face it alone. Share this message with your colleagues—it’s never been more important to stay connected and supported.