Halifax to disappear from UK high street as Lloyds axes bank brand after 173 years

Lloyds Banking Group has announced it is axing the Halifax brand, meaning the 173-year-old former building society’s name will disappear from UK high streets. The group will stop opening new accounts under the Halifax brand, and kickstart a process of shifting existing accounts to Lloyds branding over the coming days. The bank will begin removing Halifax signs from 190 of the group’s 531 branches in early 2027. No branches will be closed as a result of the changeover. The decision, first reported in May , has proved controversial among loyal customers and Halifax residents, and follows a review of Lloyds’ branding strategy. The group has operated under three brands – Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland – since January 2009, when the financial crisis and a series of bad business decisions brought the combined Halifax-Bank of Scotland group to its knees. The overhaul means Lloyds will be the group’s sole brand in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from next year, although Bank of Scotland will be retained for customers in Scotland. The bank assured customers that sort codes and account numbers will not be affected by the brand migration plan. However, axing Halifax would mean getting rid of one of the most recognisable and historic lenders on the UK high street. …