18/06/2010

Halifax Bank Makes 'Final Withdrawal'

The anticipated withdrawal of the Halifax bank from the Irish market is now taking place after it was announced in February this year.

Some 750 job losses are anticipated as Bank of Scotland Ireland began closing its Halifax bank branch network today.

Bank of Scotland Ireland said it was closing its Irish retail network as part of a reshaping of its business due to the economic climate.

Today, 21 of the 44 Halifax branches will close, with the remaining 23 branches shutting next Wednesday.

Bank of Scotland Ireland (BoSI) also shut its intermediary business, which provided mortgages through brokers.

The bank, a unit of Lloyds Banking Group since its rescue takeover of HBOS in late 2008, had been carrying out a review of its operations since early last year.

Lloyds has pumped almost €3.5bn into BoSI since then as loan losses on its estimated €12bn property and construction loan book spiral.

BoSI withdrew all Halifax retail products, such as mortgages, current accounts and personal loans, and intermediary products, including mortgages, motor finance and commercial asset finance.

All told, some €10bn of retail loans will be run down over time, even as the bank continues to honour the terms of existing loans.

(BMcC/GK)

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