I am deeply concerned by the news that Lloyds Bank plans to close their Shirley Southampton branch in early 2025.
I have written to the the Chief Executive of Lloyds to share my concerns and have launched a petition (scroll down to sign) in opposition to the closure.
We know that face-to-face banking is incredibly important to people and is particularly vital to people with specific disabilities, those who are digitally excluded, and older customers. A report by Age UK published last year found that four in ten people aged 65+ do not use online banking to manage their money, three in four people aged 65+ want to use face-to-face branch banking for at least one transaction, and a third feel uncomfortable with online banking.
The closure of bank branches in our local district centres, as with Lloyds in Shirley, puts these groups at ever increasing risk of financial exclusion. We know that the new Government plans to roll-out 350 banking hubs across Britain over this Parliament, but bank branches remain of critical importance to the public, particularly the most vulnerable in our society who so often find themselves side-lined.
With the exception of Nationwide Building Society, Lloyds is the last bank left on Shirley High Street.
I am against the closure of Lloyds Shirley and am hopeful that the decision to close can be reconsidered, keeping the branch operational unless alternative provision (such as a banking hub) is put in place.
Sign My Petition
If you, like me, oppose the closure of Lloyds Shirley, sign my petition and make your voice heard.
Fill out the form below to add your name.