PLANS to shut a Holmfirth bank have been slammed by a local politician.

Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) has confirmed that the banking services at its Victoria Street branch will close on January 8 next year.

The branch is one of 121 Halifax banking counters in the estate agent offices that are being closed early in the New Year.

The move comes after Lloyds Banking Group plc announced was off loading its Halifax Estate Agencies business, which operates through a network of 218 offices, to LSL Property Services plc.

The estate agents business will remain open but will be re-branded Your Move, Reeds Rains or Intercounty.

Conservative Party parliamentary candidate for the Colne Valley, constituency which includes the Holme Valley, Jason McCartney, said he was concerned about there being another vacant shop in Holmfirth Town Centre and was seeking talks with HBOS chiefs.

He said: “I bank with Halifax and pop into the Holmfirth branch to pay in cheques and then maybe get a newspaper from next door and bread/cakes from Greg’s (Christofi) at the Old Bridge bakery.

“I'm just worried that we may be about to have another empty shop front on Victoria Street with the old Basics store looking a right old mess.

“I expect I may be able to use the Lloyds branch across the road eventually, but in the letter they sent me I’m being redirected to the Halifax branch on Cloth Hall St in Huddersfield.

“A few less jobs in Holmfirth mean a few fewer customers for the local shops.”

A spokeswoman for HBOS said: “We are a big organisation and we will do everything we can to minimise job losses.

“Redundancy is a last resort. We hope to be able to redeploy as many people as possible within the business,” the spokeswoman added.