Lloyds Bank is shrinking hundreds of UK branches to be staffed by just 2 people

Monday, April 3, 2017

Lloyds Bank is shrinking hundreds of UK branches to be staffed by just 2 people

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A man uses an ATM outside a branch of Lloyds Bank in London, Britain in this October 28, 2014 file photo.

LONDON — Lloyds Bank intends to shrink hundreds of its UK branches due to growing numbers of customers using online banking, according to a BBC report.

Its new "micro-branches" will have no counters and just two staff carrying mobile tablets, who will help customers use in-store machines, such as pay-in devices.

The new "micro" format will use much less space than existing branches, in some cases as little as 1,000 square feet.

The bank said the reason for the move was a "profound change in customer behaviour" which has seen growing numbers of transactions move online.

Some of the branches being converted will be Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches.

Jakob Pfaudler, Lloyds' chief operating officer for retail, told the BBC: "We have a lot of branches that used to have a lot of footfall, and therefore feel quite empty and intimidating for customers. So when there's too much space we may board up places in existing branches."

In 2014, Lloyds announced a separate plan to close 400 branches over three years, with the loss of 9,000 jobs. It will have 1,950 left in the UK by the end of 2017.

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