Four Bank of Scotland branches set to close in 2024 amid shift away from in-person banking

Four Bank of Scotland branches are due to close next year amid an ongoing shift away from in-person banking.

Lloyds Banking Group said it would be shutting a further 41 branches across its network from Halifax and Lloyds.

Bank of Scotland stores in Glasgow, Tarbert, Bowmore and Helensburgh have been earmarked for closure.

The banking giant added that all affected staff will be offered other roles at another branch or in a different part of the business, with no compulsory redundancies planned.

It comes after NatWest Group announced a Glasgow branch of Royal Bank of Scotland is set to close as customers shift towards apps and online banking.

The latest closures take the total number of high street branches shut across the sector to 623 so far this year.

Lloyds is set to close the bulk of the branches in March and April next year, with some also closing in August and a tranche in November.

The closures will leave the group with 515 Lloyds Bank branches, 413 Halifax and 133 Bank of Scotland sites.

There has been a massive exodus of branches from the high street in recent years.

The largest number of closures announced this year have been Barclays branches, with the bank saying 185 of its sites are set to shut.

Lloyds is second with 131, followed by NatWest with 116, Halifax with 94, Virgin Money with 40, Bank of Scotland with 32, Ulster Bank with ten, TSB with nine, Royal Bank of Scotland with five, and one Nationwide branch.

A Lloyds Banking Group spokesman said: “The way customers choose to bank with us has changed rapidly in recent years, and we now offer a wide range of options for their everyday banking needs.

“This includes our mobile app, online and over the phone.

“Customers can also bank with us through the Post Office, in a Banking Hub, or by speaking to a Community Banker.”

The four Bank of Scotland stores due to close next year are: