Halifax has delivered a fresh blow to the UK's high streets by announcing the permanent closure of 13 more branches across England and Wales. The shake-up, part of parent company Lloyds Banking Group's ongoing restructuring, will see these branches shut their doors for good between October 2024 and February 2025.
The decision reflects a dramatic and continuous shift towards online and mobile banking, with the bank stating that far fewer customers are now using branches for their everyday banking needs. Each closure will be accompanied by a so-called 'community banker' service, offering limited in-person support at local venues for a short period after the branch shuts.
Full List of Halifax Branches Closing
The branches scheduled for closure are located in:
- Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester - Closing October 15, 2024
- Bebington, Wirral - Closing October 16, 2024
- Beckenham, London - Closing October 17, 2024
- Bootle, Merseyside - Closing October 22, 2024
- Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire - Closing October 23, 2024
- Glastonbury, Somerset - Closing October 24, 2024
- Hornchurch, London - Closing November 19, 2024
- Hyde, Greater Manchester - Closing November 20, 2024
- Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire - Closing November 21, 2024
- Market Bosworth, Leicestershire - Closing January 21, 2025
- Oadby, Leicestershire - Closing January 22, 2025
- St Ives, Cambridgeshire - Closing January 23, 2025
- Wells, Somerset - Closing February 5, 2025
The Changing Face of British Banking
This announcement is the latest in a long line of bank branch closures that have left many towns across the UK without any physical banking facilities. Lloyds Banking Group, which also owns Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland, has been aggressively reducing its physical footprint for years, citing a steep and sustained drop in branch visits as customers embrace digital alternatives.
For the communities affected, the loss of a local branch is often about more than just convenience. It represents a blow to the local economy, a hurdle for elderly or vulnerable customers less comfortable with technology, and another empty shop front on the high street.
Halifax has emphasised that all customers affected by the closures will have a Post Office nearby for everyday banking transactions. Furthermore, the bank will run a programme of support to help customers get to grips with online and telephone banking services.
