Jobs at risk as Leeds Building Society axes branches

Leeds Building Society is to close six of its branches in the city, with 15 jobs at risk nationally.
Leeds Building Society head office new photographsLeeds Building Society head office new photographs
Leeds Building Society head office new photographs

The closures are part of eight across England and come following a strategic review of the firm’s branch network.

Branches located in Armley, Beeston, Boston Spa, Chapel Allerton, Harehills Road and Street Lane in Roundhay will all close by the end of June. Branches in Blyth and Wallsend in the North East will also shut.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In all 42 employees are impacted by the closures with the society having already acted to protect 27 of those.

Peter Hill, chief executive of Leeds Building Society, told the YEP: “We have to continually adapt to circumstances and ensure our branch network remains relevant and in the right locations.

“We have seen that, particularly in Leeds, members use multiple branches and inevitably we have see a very significant increase in activity on the internet and on phones. The branches we are closing in Leeds the average distance between the branch closing and the next nearest branch is 1.3 miles.

“One of the branches we are closing has an average of six visitors a day. We have no current plans for any further closures in the foreseeable future.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A vulnerable customer team has been established to look after those affected. Yorkshire Bank, Yorkshire Building Society and HSBC have all announced branch closure programmes in the last three months.