Campaign launched to save Somerset Lloyds Bank branch from closure

A petition initiated to prevent the closure of a Lloyds Bank branch in Somerset has garnered more than 2,000 signatures and received the endorsement of the local MP. The branch, situated on Worle High Street in Weston-super-Mare, is the sole one in the vicinity, with Lloyds having announced in the summer that it would close on 25 November. Jill Leahy, the organiser of the petition, stated: “Many people in this area are more senior or disabled and this will affect them, local businesses and those that are digitally excluded.” A spokesperson for Lloyds Banking Group commented that “many customers now choose to bank through their mobile app or online, visits to our Worle branch have fallen over recent years”. Ms Leahy further added: “The branch has free parking and easy access and to go to town would mean finding parking, paying for it or paying for buses.” She also conveyed: “Ideally we would like the branch to stay open because there is clearly demand.” Ms Leahy acknowledged that footfall had decreased by 47% but emphasized that services had been reduced by 50%. She asserted: “It has the same footfall as the branch in Weston with less staff and shorter opening hours.” Ms Leahy’s campaign has secured the support of the local MP, Dan Aldridge, who said: “Access to cash is still so important for our communities here in Worle, Weston-super-Mare and the surrounding villages.” He continued: “I know many, often older, or vulnerable people who can’t or simply don’t wish to bank online, or struggle to make the journey into Weston.” Aldridge concluded: “I sincerely hope Lloyds will think again about the closure of the Worle branch.” Lloyds Banking Group, which also owns Halifax and the Bank of Scotland, announced this closure as one of nearly 300 planned for 2024 and 2025. The spokesperson for Lloyds additionally stated: “When the branch closes later this month, customers can continue to manage their money online, by calling us, in person at our Weston-super-Mare branch, or the local Post Office.” They further mentioned that the bank had taken “a number of factors into account in line with Financial Conduct Authority guidance” before making the decision. It was also conveyed that the bank had written “to customers who use the Worle branch, to let them know it would be closing and explained about the other ways they can continue to do their banking”.