Lloyds pledges to keep brands after HBOS deal

Halifax will operate alongside the Lloyds TSB brand in England and Wales, while Bank of Scotland will be the primary brand used in Scotland, it says. A spokesperson for Lloyds says no decisions will be taken about the closure of branches before the deal is completed, which Lloyds expects to happen on 19 January, although many of the combined group's 3,000 branches are expected to shut. The integration of Bank of Scotland and Lloyds TSB Scotland's Retail and Corporate banking businesses will extend over a two to three year period. Lloyds Banking Group will have the largest branch network...