A bank has reopened to customers after plans to turn it into apartments were shelved.

The Lloyds branch in Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells, has been upgraded after extensive renovations.

The late 19th-century building is Grade-II listed and was built in 1874.

Plans were submitted to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in July last year to convert the top floors into eight new flats.

The ground space would remain as a bank, but there would be minor alterations to the building – including removing two cash machines to allow access for residents.

However, this application was eventually withdrawn.

Work began on refurbishing the branch this year and it was closed at the end of September for more than a month.

It has since reopened to customers and will be accessible Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturdays 9am to 1pm.

A spokeswoman from Lloyds Bank said: “We’ve invested in our Tunbridge Wells branch and now the refurbishment is finished, our customers will have access to a new ‘Touchdown Table’ for informal chats, alongside new private meeting spaces, ATMs and other banking services.”

It was announced earlier this year that 22 Lloyds premises would shut between April and June.

Residents in Whitstable and Gillingham have been affected by other closures with many having to switch to services online or drive to a branch further away.