Halifax has announced that it will be closing one of its branches in County Durham as part of a larger closure plan.  

The company, along with Lloyds, announced on Friday (January 20) that they will be closing 40 bank branches across the UK - which included Chester-le-Street in County Durham.

All but one of the closures are in England, and will take place between April and June.

Banks across the country have scaled back their branch networks, including in County Durham.

The number of people using in-person services has been falling for years as more and more people do their banking online.

During the pandemic, this increased, as some of those who had stuck to bank branches were forced to learn how to bank from home.

Lloyds Banking Group, which owns both high street banks, said the branches to be closed have seen the number of visits drop by about 60% on average in the last five years.

It announced that the Chester-le-Street branch would close on April 19.

A spokesman said: “Branches play an important part in our strategy but we need to have them in the right places, where they are well-used.

“We’ll continue to invest in branches that are being used regularly, alongside our online, mobile app and telephone services.”

All the branches are within a third of a mile of at least one free-to-use cashpoint and a Post Office, the group said.

The closures will not lead to any job losses, it added.

This is a full list of branches set to close:

Lloyds

  • Norbury – London Road – April 19
  • Pontefract – Ropergate – April 20
  • Beckenham – High Street – April 20
  • Gillingham – High Street – April 25
  • Chingford – Station Road – April 25
  • Dagenham – The Heathway – April 26
  • London – Marylebone High Street – May 3
  • Ipswich – Bramford Road – May 4
  • Weybridge – Church Street – May 10
  • Twickenham – Heath Road – May 11
  • Whitstable – High Street – May 11
  • Beeston – The Square – May 11
  • Wickersley – Bawtry Road – May 15
  • Borehamwood – Shenley Road – May 22
  • Littlehampton – Beach Road – May 23
  • Rustington – The Street – June 5
  • Aintree – Longmoor Lane – June 6
  • Shaftesbury – High Street – June 13
  • Newport – High Street – June 13
  • Ripley – Oxford Street – June 14
  • Hyde – Clarendon Place – June 21
  • Harrow – Northolt Road – June 29

Halifax

  • Bangor – High Street – April 17
  • Chester Le Street – Front Street – April 19
  • London – Fenchurch Street – April 19
  • Aldershot – Union Street – April 26
  • Crouch End – Broadway Parade – April 27
  • Chorlton-cum-Hardy – Barlow Moor Road – April 27
  • Golders Green – North End Road – May 3
  • Putney – Putney High Street – May 4
  • Norbury – London Road – May 4
  • Surbiton – Victoria Road – May 10
  • Chingford – Chingford Mount Road – May 15
  • Redruth – Fore Street – May 16
  • Bletchley – Queensway – May 18
  • Maldon – High Street – June 5
  • St Neots – High Street – June 6
  • Whitley Bay – Park View – June 21
  • Purley – Purley Parade, High Street – June 22
  • Grays – High Street – June 22