UK banking group Halifax is to shut down its online investments Web site for a whole year while it builds a new site, advising customers instead to use the call centre and branch network to manage their accounts.
In a letter to customers, Halifax says the site will be unavailable until April 2012 and advises users to print off screen-based information before the current site shuts down on 18 April.
The letter says: "We plan to bring back an online investment service by April 2012 along with more enhancements over the coming months, including an exciting new mobile banking service. In the meantime you'll still be able to do all the things you do online now over the phone..."
In October, Lloyds Banking Group announced plans to cut 4500 IT jobs as it completes the integration of systems between Lloyds TSB and HBOS.
Hat-tip to The Register: British bank shuts Website until April 2012