Lloyds Banking Group has announced a further 66 branches will be shutting permanently including a south Essex high street branch.

The bank closures consist of 48 Lloyds Bank branches and 18 Halifax outlets as bosses say they've seen visits fall as much as 85 per cent over the last five years.

The list includes Billericay High Street's Lloyds branch, which will be shutting its doors later this year.

Lloyds says Billericay customers are already banking in other ways, as 81 per cent of customers using the branch have also used other Lloyds Bank branches, internet banking or PhoneBank.

Only 68 customers used the Billericay branch regularly in the 12 months to March 2022, according to Lloyds Bank.

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Russell Galley, director of consumer relationships at Lloyds Banking Group said: “Our customers have more choice than ever in how they bank with us.

“As our customers do more online, visits to some branches have fallen by as much as 85 per cents over the last five years.

“Alongside our digital, online and telephone services, we'll continue to invest in our branches, but they need to be in the right places, where they're well-used.”

Lloyds in Billericay will close on November 10 2022.

The announcement comes as Barclays will be closing its Billericay branch on August 24 following a drop in usage and rise in online banking. 

The HSBC in the high street will also be closing in September and NatWest is set to shut later in the year too, although bosses hadn't revealed when.

Following these closures Santander will be the only bank remaining in Billericay High Street.