Campaigners fight plans to close Kirkby’s ‘last bank standing’

Lloyds Banking Group has announced the closure of the Station Street branch on February 7, as part of 48 closures around the country.

Vim Maru, Lloyds retail director, said: “Like many other businesses, we have seen people using our branches less frequently in recent years and this decline is continuing.

“Our branches remain a fundamental part of how we serve our customers, but we need to ensure the size of our network reflects the number of customers wanting to use them.”

However, the plan has been met with anger.

Lee Anderson, Ashfield MP, has now launched a petition to ‘save our bank’.

He said: “I have received a response from Lloyds regarding the closure and will be meeting with them in the next few weeks to discuss this further.

“I have set up a petition for residents to urge Lloyds to rethink the closure and plan to present this petition to them when we meet in the next few weeks.”

The petition reads: “I urge Lloyds to urgently rethink their position. Access to cash and an in-person counter are vital services to residents who may not be able to access online banking.

“Clearly, footfall in branches has reduced since the advent of the pandemic. However, in-person banking services continue to be vital – we must save this branch.”

To sign the petition, visit leeanderson.org.uk/ClosureofLloydsBankKirkby

Closures

Lloyds has already closed 56 banks this year and is in the process of shutting a further 44 before the end of November.

The latest closures, which will be completed by April 2022, bring the total to 148 since the start of 2021.

Lloyds said 178 workers will be affected by the latest closures and will be offered voluntary redundancy or a different job within the business.

Coun Jason Zadrozny, Ashfield Council leader, a customer of the branch, described the closure as ‘bank robbery’.

He said: “This is the last bank we have in Kirkby.

“This decision has been taken without any consultation with their loyal customers. Not everybody banks online. Like the thousands of Kirkby residents impacted, I am old fashioned and like to go in and talk about my account to the friendly staff. This will all be removed in the name of greed.”

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