Halifax Announces Plan to Close King Street Branch

---

Latest loss in exodus of full service banking from town centre

Hammersmith's branch of the Halifax. Picture: Finn & Co

February 23, 2026

Halifax has announced that its Hammersmith branch at 91–93 King Streetwill close on 28 May.

The branch is across the road from the entrance to Primark at the junction with Bridge Avenue. Nationwide has a branch next door.

The decision forms part of a wider programme of branch reductions across the Lloyds Banking Group, which owns Halifax, Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland.

The Hammersmith closure is one of six Halifax branches in London scheduled to shut next year. Among them is Greenford, at 41 The Broadway, UB6 9PQ, which will close on 16 June . Lloyds Bank itself has also confirmed eight London closures, underscoring the scale of the group’s shift away from traditional counter-service banking.

Over the past decade, King Street has seen a steady withdrawal of major banks, with several long-standing branches closing their doors. HSBC shut its King Street branch in 2021, followed by Barclays in 2022 as it consolidated services into larger hubs. Santander’s departure in 2019 and TSB’s closure in 2020 had previously reduced local choice.

The closure of Halifax removes one of the last remaining full-service branches in the immediate town centre. For older residents, small businesses and those who rely on in-person support, the cumulative effect has been a steady erosion of choice and convenience. Community groups have repeatedly raised concerns that the shift to digital-first banking risks leaving behind people who are less confident with technology or who depend on cash-based transactions.

The latest announcements from Halifax and Lloyds Bank reflect a broader national trend. Across the UK, banks have been accelerating branch closures as customer behaviour changes and the economics of maintaining large physical networks become harder to justify. Lloyds Banking Group has been among the most active in reshaping its estate, with Halifax, Lloyds and Bank of Scotland all reducing their footprints.

Halifax customers in Hammersmith will be directed to alternative branches elsewhere in west London, though for many this will mean longer journeys and reduced accessibility. The closure also leaves another prominent unit vacant on King Street, a high street already grappling with turnover in retail and services.

Local MP Andy Slaughter said he was dismayed to hear of the closure adding, “While banks point to the growth of digital services, many older residents still rely on in-person support. In contrast, Nationwide has pledged to keep its local branches, including Hammersmith, open until at least 2030, recognising the continuing importance of accessible banking. I will continue to raise concerns about financial inclusion and access to services for those who depend on them.”

Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site.