SEVERAL Halifax agencies in the York and Ryedale area are to close this autumn following a review by the bank.

The independent agencies in Heworth, Bishopthorpe, Pickering and Filey, which are operated by third party businesses and offer a range of banking counter services, will shut in October and November.

A spokeswoman said the review had concluded that the bank’s 265 agencies across the country were no longer integral to its business model. “The number of agents has also declined significantly in recent years,” she said. “Since 2005, the independent agency business has almost halved from 475 to 265 agencies.” She said the agencies offered a limited banking service and were not bank branches.

But one customer, Tang Hall hairdresser Terry Smith, who said he had used the Halifax in Hawthorn Grove, Heworth, for 25 years, said he was going to find its closure on October 22 very inconvenient.

“I am going to have to go all the way into town, to the Halifax in Davygate or Parliament Street,” he said. “I believe it’s a sad loss to the community of Heworth.

“It’s going to be a major blow to local residents who use it.”

But the Halifax said it had reached an agreement in principle with the Post Office for customers to use Post Office counters to deposit cash and cheques, in addition to a range of banking transactions already available.

“It is intended that the new facility will be available in the next six weeks,” said the spokeswoman.

“Bank account customers can continue to make withdrawals and check balances using a Bank card and PIN. The Post Office service is free of charge for customers”

She said the agencies were, on average, within two miles of a Halifax or Lloyds TSB branch, and more than 90 per cent were within 500 metres of a Post Office. She said the bank was committed to its branch network.