Following a Covid-19-related pause, Lloyds Banking Group has resumed plans to close 56 branches across its network, affecting 160 jobs.
In January, the group laid out plans to shutter 31 Lloyds, 10 Halifax and 15 Bank of Scotland branches between April and October in response to the migration of customers to digital channels.
The closures were put on ice because of the pandemic but will now be carried out in March and April, says the bank, adding that there will not be any compulsory redundancies.
Unite has slammed the decision, with the union's national officer Rob MacGregor, saying: “The pandemic has highlighted the vital role our local bank branches play in providing an essential service to the community.
"These closures don’t just cut a vital service from communities but also force customers to travel further to stand in larger crowds of customers queuing outside busier branches."
Earlier this month, Lloyds said it will cut 1,070 jobs, principally from its group transformation and retail bank teams.