A VACANT former bank in Wiltshire looks set to become an Italian restaurant.

Four years ago, Lloyds Bank permanently shut the doors of its Malmesbury High Street branch, leaving the town without a physical bank.

The prominent building currently remains empty but may soon have a new occupant offering a very different service.

A sign has been installed at the entrance to the property saying: “New Italian restaurant coming soon.”

It is unclear when this planned restaurant may open for the first time.

The former Lloyds Bank in MalmesburyThe former Lloyds Bank in Malmesbury (Image: Newsquest)

At the time of writing, no planning applications for a change of use or alterations to the premises were live.

After Lloyds announced the controversial closure of its Malmesbury branch, Cllr Gavin Grant, who represents the area at Wiltshire Council, spoke of the importance and difficulty of finding an occupant for such a large space.

He said: “It wasn’t so long ago that we had three bank branches in Malmesbury.

“And it’s another iconic building in the centre of our town that is set to go.

“Filling these large building’s is a challenge, we don’t want empty buildings in our town centre and there is a risk it could become derelict.”