Halifax is to open 100 new branches over the next five years in the South of England creating 1500 jobs in the process.

The bank, which is part of the HBOS Group, said the branch opening programme would see it open a new branch approximately every fortnight for the next five years.

About 50 of the branches will be in towns where there has previously been little or no Halifax presence. Each branch will have approximately 19 banking staff, including mortgage and investment advisers. Halifax currently has approximately 1000 branches and estate agencies across the country.

Halifax said that its customers liked to use bank branches, so the move would be good news for many of its clients.