GILLINGHAM’S Lloyds branch is set to close its doors to customers early next year.
The announcement follows a swathe of closures as 49 branches in total across the UK are to shut as Lloyds said more customers are opting to carry out their banking services online rather than visiting a branch in person.
Lloyds said 708 regular customers use the Gillingham branch each month, but added that transactions dropped by 41% from 2019 to 2024.
Your New Blackmore Vale previously reported on the announcement that the Lloyds bank in Blandford is also set to close its doors on November 10.
The closest Lloyds branch for Gillingham customers can be found 22 miles away at Yeovil High Street.
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Tables explaining how customers use the branch Picture: Lloyds
Lloyds said it met with MP Simon Hoare (North Dorset, Conservatives) who raised concerns with the closure.
In a statement on social media, the MP said: “Very disappointed to receive news this afternoon of yet another bank closure, this time it’s Lloyds in Gillingham.
“Our high streets are changing we know but as I have raised in Parliament the impact of a bank closing on a rural market town high street has a disproportionate impact.
“Lloyds will have some form of community banking advice service from when the branch closes on January 8 and I am promised further details in due course.”
Customers reacted strongly to the news.
One said: “We only have NatWest left here in Shaftesbury now that Santander has also closed. It is making it much more difficult for us oldies!”
Another said: “Very sad news after just moving to the town. Having things like a bank on a high street gives people a reason to visit and in turn support other shops. The high streets everywhere are just dying.”
Lloyds customers can also visit any Halifax or Bank of Scotland branch as they are part of the same family.
Full list of closures:
- Alfreton
- Ammanford
- Bideford
- Biggleswade
- Blandford
- Brigg
- Bristol Bishopsworth
- Bury
- Camborne
- Caterham
- Chard
- Chepstow
- Chester-Le-Street
- Coventry Foleshill
- Harborne
- Havant
- Hedon
- Hexham
- Houghton-le-Spring
- Hucknall
- Ivybridge
- Kidderminster
- Leeds Armley
- Leeds Crossgates
- Leominster
- Lewes
- Loughton
- Manchester Moston
- Manchester Newton Heath
- Mitcham
- Monmouth
- New Addington
- Okehampton
- Penzance
- Peterlee Yoden Way
- Petersfield
- Plymstock
- Pontardawe
- Ryde
- Seaton
- Sheffield Woodhouse
- Shipston-on-Stour
- Sleaford
- Southall
- Southampton Hedge End
- Southampton Totton
- Stamford
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Swadlincote
- Thetford
- Thornbury Avon
- Tooting
- Totnes
- Tunstall
- Walthamstow
- Wymondham
Visit www.lloydsbank.com/help-guidance/everyday-banking/banking-near-you/branch-closures.html for more information.
The country as a whole is a mess ,these give no thought to the vulnerable people in our communities who can’t drive and our buses non existent kill towns all over disgusting 😑
Oh dear, more closures! Its like the high street is playing a game of musical banks, and everyones getting kicked out before the music stops. Poor Gillingham, now with just a ghostly presence of a bank for a year. Farewell Gillingham Lloyds, folks might say, well miss you… probably not. Sad news indeed, especially for the newbies who just moved in – welcome to the party thats slowly emptying! At least the MP is raising a fuss, because lets face it, who doesnt love a good banking drama in Parliament? And hey, maybe more people will just walk 22 miles to Yeovil for a pint and a chat, thinking its an adventure. High streets dying? Sounds like an overreaction, but whos counting? 😉
Customer transactions down 41%. Hmm, I wonder why? Maybe it’s because for the last few years the staff have ‘been told’ to switch people to internet banking and discouraged them from using the counter (mainly by closing it). Self-fulfilling prophecy.