Bank closures will affect 'the most vulnerable'

Across the country, more than 130 Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches are set to close.

Politicians say the closure of a number of banks in rural towns will "hit the most vulnerable hardest".

The Northumberland towns of Hexham, Prudhoe, Bedlington and Amble are all losing branches of either Lloyds, Halifax or TSB.

Gordon Stewart, Conservative councillor for Prudhoe South said: "It is a day many people are dreading because not everyone is confident enough to use the internet."

The banks said more customers were using digital banking and closing branches was not a decision they took lightly.

A number of towns in Northumberland including Amble, Bedlington and Alnwick will soon have no bank at all

Across the country, more than 130 Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches are to close.

Lloyds, which also owns Halifax, is shutting its base in Prudhoe and both its Halifax and Lloyds branches in Hexham.

TSB announced the closure of its branches in Amble and Bedlington in May last year.

Stewart told the local democracy reporting service: "This will impact upon the most vulnerable yet again in our society.

"Not everyone can just jump onto a bus to travel to a city branch."

Suzanne Fairless-Aitken, Liberal Democrat councillor for Hexham East, added: "I think banks have lost their direction, they're a business rather than a community service."

The former mining community now attracts tourists to its harbour and coastline

Jeff Watson, Conservative councillor for Amble West with Warkworth, said the closure of Amble's TSB's branch, the town's last bank, made "no sense".

"Hundreds of houses are being built and Amble is attracting more tourism."

"We're probably going to have 1,000 extra houses overall. It's a place that's really on the up."

Research published in 2024 by the consumer group Which? showed almost 6,000 bank branches had closed in the last decade and more have been announced.

When TSB closes in May, Bedlington will have no banks

A spokesperson for Lloyds said: "As many customers now choose to bank through their app or online, visits to our Lloyds and Halifax Hexham branches and Lloyds Prudhoe branch have fallen."

The company has said a "community banker" will visit areas impacted by closures after the branch shuts its doors to continue to offer face-to-face support.

TSB said: "LINK, the UK's cash machine network, has recommended that a Banking Hub be opened in Amble and our branch will remain open until this new service is in place.

"With video, telephone, digital, branch and other face-to-face services, TSB customers have more ways to bank with us than ever before."