Two North East banks will pull down the shutters for the final time next week. 

Banking giants Lloyds and Halifax will both close locations in the region in the next week.

Halifax is shutting its Gosforth high street branch in Newcastle on Monday (January 8). 

The bank said: "The world is becoming more digital than ever before and more of our customers are doing their everyday banking online. With more customers banking digitally, we've seen a fall in branch visits. Because of this, we've decided to close this branch."

Almost half (49%) of those using the branch are over 55.

Meanwhile Lloyds will close its Team Valley branch in Gateshead on Tuesday (January 9). The bank said 84% of its customers also use other branches, online or telephone banking.

It means the nearest Lloyds location will be in the town centre next to Tesco.

Banks are continuing to press ahead with closures as they push forward with the move to online banking. The number of people using in-person services has been falling for years as people switch to digital.

Twenty-nine branches across the North East and North Yorkshire closed down in 2023, the equivalent of one every 13 days.

Another nine have been earmarked for closure by various bank brands this year.


Here are all of the North East banks which have closed in 2023,  those set to close in the coming months (as of January 3, 2024):

Barclays

The Northern Echo: Barclays financials

  • Stanhope, County Durham – DL13 2TU – CLOSED April 21, 2023
  • Bedale, North Yorkshire – DL8 1AD – CLOSED April 26, 2023
  • Leyburn, North Yorkshire – DL8 5BQ – CLOSED May 5, 2023
  • Saltburn, Teesside - TS12 1AB - CLOSED June 30, 2023
  • Alnwick, Northumberland – NE66 1TF – CLOSED July 7, 2023
  • Yarm, Teesside – TS15 9AH – CLOSED July 14, 2023
  • Seahouses, Northumberland – NE68 7SJ – CLOSED July 14, 2023
  • The Galleries, Washington, Sunderland - NE38 7SH - CLOSED July 21, 2023
  • Prudhoe, Northumberland – NE42 5PU – CLOSED August 11, 2023
  • Haltwhistle, Northumberland – NE49 9AG – CLOSED August 18, 2023
  • Thirsk, North Yorkshire – YO7 1LF – CLOSED October 25, 2023
  • Redcar, Teesside – TS10 1DX – CLOSED November 15, 2023
  • Middleton in Teesdale, County Durham – DL12 0QF – CLOSED November 17, 2023
  • Whitley Bay, North Tyneside – NE26 3RA 0- closing December 1, 2023
  • Durham – DH1 3NB – CLOSED December 8, 2023
  • Whitby, North Yorkshire – YO21 1BW – CLOSED December 8, 2023
  • Hexham, Northumberland - NE46 1PE - closing March 1
  • Northallerton, North Yorkshire - DL7 8LJ - closing March 14
  • Team Valley, Gateshead - NE11 0JW - closing March 15
  • Richmond, North Yorkshire - DL10 4JH - closing on or before December 4

HSBC

The Northern Echo:

  • Whitley Bay, North Tyneside – NE26 2SW – CLOSED May 2, 2023
  • Whitby, North Yorkshire – YO21 1BD – CLOSED May 16, 2023
  • South Shields, South Tyneside – NE33 1NW – CLOSED June 14, 2023
  • Gosforth, Newcastle – NE3 1HE – CLOSED July 18, 2023

Halifax

The Northern Echo: A shop sign for the Halifax in central London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday January 6, 2016. Photo credit should read: Nick Ansell/PA Wire

  • Chester-le-Street, County Durham – DH3 3BD – CLOSED April 19, 2023
  • Whitley Bay, North Tyneside – NE26 2TH – CLOSED June 21, 2023
  • Gosforth, Newcastle – NE3 1HX – closing January 8, 2024
  • Newton Aycliffe, County Durham - DL14 7EQ – closure delayed to March 27, 2024

Lloyds

The Northern Echo:

  • Benton, North Tyneside – NE7 7EE – CLOSED July 17, 2023
  • Newburn, Newcastle – NE15 8LS – CLOSED September 14, 2023
  • Thirsk, North Yorkshire – YO7 1HB – CLOSED October 31, 2023
  • Gateshead, Tyne and Wear – NE11 0EN – closing January 9
  • Seaham, County Durham – SR7 7SD – closing June 19
  • Whitley Bay, North Tyneside - NE26 2SY - closing November 12,

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NatWest

The Northern Echo:

  • Whitley Bay, North Tyneside – NE26 2TQ – CLOSED July 20, 2023

Virgin Money

The Northern Echo:

  • Durham – DH1 3NP – CLOSED November 6, 2023
  • Hexham, Northumberland – NE46 1NJ – CLOSED November 7, 2023
  • Gosforth, Newcastle – NE3 1JZ – CLOSED November 8, 2023