Artists to build giant Magna Carta sand sculpture in Lincoln

Lloyds Banking Group will close 28 branches across the country this year, including the only bank left in Bourne.

The group, which owns Lloyds and Halifax, has blamed failing customer numbers on the closures, which will take place between August and November this year.

20 Lloyds Bank and eight Halifax branches will close nationally across this time period, with Bourne being the only Lincolnshire area to be affected.

Bourne’s Lloyds Bank branch closes on November 21, and it is a bitter blow to the market town as it will now be left without a central bank, meaning residents will have to travel elsewhere.

However, Lloyds Banking Group has said that all affected places have a free cash machine or Post Office within a mile, allowing customers access to limited banking services in their towns or villages.

You cannot open a bank account at these sites, or sort issues with an existing account, but some services can be accessed via free cash machines or Post Office branches if need be – such as withdrawing and depositing cash or cheques if you are a Lloyds customer.

It is the latest in a long line of closures for the group, as the shift towards online and mobile banking continues to gather momentum in the modern age.

These 28 branch closures will bring the total figure of shut down Lloyds Banking Group sites to 88 by the end of 2022.

Plans to expand and refurbish Alford’s public library and toilets have been revealed.

Alford Town Council has applied to East Lindsey District Council to partially demolish the existing library building, known as Alford Focal Point, and the public toilet block on South Market Place and replace them with an extension which will create additional rooms and new facilities.

The council was given the library building by Lincolnshire County Council in 2021 and the public toilets by East Lindsey District Council in 2020 as the authorities looked to save cash in their own budgets by cutting down on maintenance.

A design and access statement said the proposals will provide a dedicated children’s library which will also include the ability to be used for public events such as playgroups, yoga classes and social events. Income from hire will go to the library charity running the building.

The plans show a dedicated computer space and café servery. An additional office space will also be created which can be hired out for use or used by council officers and members of other public bodies.

A new lift and disabled accessibility features will be included in the build, while dedicated office space for the town council’s clerk will be included.

Designs for the new library submitted to East Lindsey District Council.

The statement said the public toilets, built in the 1970s, were “tired”.

The proposals will see the existing facility upgraded with five general unisex toilets and one changing places/disability friendly toilet.

“The fundamental objective of this project is to reinvigorate this key existing social hub for the town of Alford and the surrounding wider areas, to ensure the longevity of this important community asset and resource,” said the document.

“Failure to move forward and evolve with the modern requirements of its users will ultimately result in obsolescence and subsequent closure.”

How the library and toilet extension could look.

In 2016, the library was taken over by a group of volunteers after the county council outsourced 16 of its “core” libraries to Greenwich Leisure and handed 30 others to local groups as part of a bid to save £1.9million.

At the time it was given an interior refurbishment and decoration in a bid to attract new users.