This entails the closure of 86 Lloyds Bank sites, 53 Halifax branches, and 16 Bank of Scotland sites in 2023. 

A spokesperson confirmed that the group will be closing two Bank of Scotland and three Halifax branches in Scotland between January and February 2024.

The bank attributes these closures to the rise of digital banking and the concurrent decrease in branch visits over the last five years, citing a 56% average fall in the use of these sites. The Group highlights a customer preference shift toward online management of funds, with over 20 million customers now opting to bank online.

A Lloyds Banking Group spokesperson said: “Our customers are increasingly using digital channels to manage their money – we now have over 21 million customers choosing to bank online.

“We’re introducing more Community Bankers to provide targeted support in local communities, alongside other services such as our mobile app, online and over the phone. Customers can also bank with us through the Post Office or in a Banking Hub.”