Beccles Halifax bank closing in summer

The Halifax bank in Beccles is set to close later this summer as Lloyds Banking Group announced plans to shut 60 branches across the country.

The branch in Market Street will close on July 5 with more customers moving their finances online.

Lloyds Banking Group said it had seen a 27 per cent rise in use of its mobile banking app over the last two years, and a 12 per cent rise in regular users of its online banking system.

The lending giant said it would close 24 Lloyds branches, as well as 19 Bank of Scotland and 17 Halifax sites across the United Kingdom.

The branches are thought to employ 124 people, but Lloyds said it would try to find affected staff new roles within the company.

Vim Maru, group retail director, said: "Just like many other high street businesses, fewer customers are choosing to visit our branches.

"Our branch network is an important way for us to support our customers, but we need to adapt to the significant growth in customers choosing to do most of their everyday banking online."

But Unite the union said Lloyds should not be allowed to 'abandon' 60 more local communities where bank branches 'play an essential role'.

Caren Evans, national officer for Unite, said: "The 124 employees who work tirelessly in their communities are dedicated to serving the banking needs of the most vulnerable who depend on their skilled services.

“When a bank branch closes, the heart of the local community is ripped out and the results are devastating. Unite is clear that simply leaving an ATM in place of a vibrant bank branch is wholly insufficient.

“The banking sector needs to answer some serious questions about its corporate social responsibilities and the Government cannot stand back and allow the relentless closure of banks to continue until no more local banking services remain.”

The news follows several other closures from the bank, which said in October it could close 48 sites, and announced 44 closures in June last year.