Lloyds Bank closures leave customers frustrated, report says
9 reported
A Guardian report on June 6, 2026, describes frustration among bank customers as Lloyds Banking Group continues to close branches, including two in Surrey that week. The Staines branch closed for good on Monday, and the West Byfleet branch was that village’s last remaining bank. The Lloyds in Redhill shut down on May 28. The closures are part of nearly 150 outlets the group intends to shut by March 2027. Customers interviewed by the Guardian, including 78-year-old Patricia Payne, said they struggle with online banking and rely on physical branches. The government announced an independent review last month to protect access to face-to-face banking. A YouGov poll commissioned by the Payment Choice Alliance found that 76% of Britons say access to a local bank branch is important to them.
What’s reported
The Staines Lloyds branch closed for good on Monday, June 1, 2026 (based on the article’s Wednesday visit on June 3).
The West Byfleet branch was that village’s last remaining bank.
The Lloyds in Redhill shut down on May 28, 2026.
Lloyds Banking Group intends to close nearly 150 outlets by March 2027.
Patricia Payne, 78, takes a near four-mile bus ride from Chertsey to Staines to access a bank and says she struggles with online banking.
Consumer champion Which? reports 6,795 branch closures since January 2015, representing 69% of branches open at the start of 2015.
The government announced an independent review last month to protect access to face-to-face banking.
A YouGov poll of 6,400 consumers found 76% of Britons say access to a physical bank branch is important.
Banking hubs, where lenders share a single location, are being opened at a slower rate than closures; 236 hubs exist, but a minimum of 1,200 are required, according to Ron Delnevo of the Payment Choice Alliance.
Key figures
Patricia Payne, 78, Lloyds customer from Chertsey
Lynne Bulmer, 78, customer in Staines
Radhe Mali, fruit and veg stallholder on Staines High Street
Ron Delnevo, chair of the campaign committee at the Payment Choice Alliance
Lloyds Banking Group spokesperson (unnamed)
Sources: The Guardian
