Two Lloyds bank branches in West Byfleet and Staines are closing, leaving West Byfleet without any bank branches. Residents say this will make in-person banking harder, especially for older people and small businesses. Some are calling for a shared "banking hub" to be created as a replacement. Lloyds says most customers now bank online and can still use Post Offices and other branches for basic services.

Former Lloyd's TSB bank in Flint set to become an apartment. The former Lloyd's TSB bank in Flint. (Image: Google Streetview) Find, save and share Public Notices that affect you in the Wrexham area. A FORMER Flintshire town centre bank will soon become an apartment, after plans were approved. A planning application for that change was first submitted to Flintshire County Council in November of last year. Submitted by Paterson Macaulay & Owens Ltd, the plans sought a proposed change of use and alterations of the former Lloyd's TSB Bank on Trelawny Square in Flint into one residential flat on the ground floor. The plan adds: "The proposals seek to retain the majority of the principal frontage. However, in order to provide appropriate levels of amenity, privacy, and security for future occupants, the design includes setting back the entrance door and raising the sill height of the full-height glazed shopfront. "These alterations will be executed sensitively, with the new sill constructed using matching glazed brick to ensure continuity with the original architectural language. "As part of the overall refurbishment, the existing flat roofs will be upgraded with new insulation to meet current building regulations. New aluminium fascias and soffits will be installed to match those already in place, maintaining material coherence across the building. "In conclusion, the scheme proposes that the bank is converted carefully and sympathetically, ensuring a sustainable future for the structure and therefore the sites viability for years to come, whilst answering a community need for housing." The Lloyd's TSB bank in Flint permanently closed its doors on May 29 of last year. Since then, customers have been using a banking hub in the town centre. The plans to alter the use of the site were officially approved by Flintshire Council on May 21.

Treasure trove in former high street bank. A 1930s Lloyds bank in Notting Hill Gate has been converted into an all-day Lebanese brasserie with a dramatic triple-height dining room. Opening on 1st June, it is called Kinz - appropriately, 'treasure' in Arabic. The team behind the project includes Rasha Khouri Bruzzo (co-owner of the highly regarded Palestinian restaurant Akub, around the corner in cute Hillgate Village) and brothers Jad and Karim Lahoud. Kinz incorporates a deli for house-made spice mixes, olive oil and pastrieso, and the former bank vault is transformed into a dedicated wine room with snug dining nooks and tasting tables. Above a canopied cocktail bar, there's an arched mezzanine where diners can look down over the room, and there is an intimate private dining area on the upper level. Rasha says: "We're incredibly excited to bring KINZ to life in Notting Hill Gate. The project is rooted in the food and traditions I grew up with - the small details, rituals and flavours that are passed down at home rather than written down. KINZ takes its name from the Arabic word for 'treasure' and is our tribute to those treasures: cherished recipes, generous cooking and the spirit of Lebanese food as it's meant to be shared today. It's a place designed to feel as natural for everyday visits as it does for long, lingering meals." Jad Lahoud adds: "Growing up in London, Karim and I were surrounded by a strong Lebanese community and the food that defines it. With parents who were both chefs, those flavours shaped how we eat and cook today. KINZ is our way of bringing the spirit of Lebanon to London, not just through the food, but through the atmosphere, the design and every considered detail." The Lebanon-heavy wine list has been put together by regional wine expert Nicolas Angelina, sourced primarily from independent wineries and priced from £8 per glass and £30 per bottle.