RBS to close one in five banks in Scotland including Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire branches

Aberdeen's St Nicholas Street branch will be among those closing down
Aberdeen's St Nicholas Street branch will be among those closing down -Credit:Google


Over 100 jobs are at risk and over a dozen bank branches are set to close with Royal Bank of Scotland confirming it is shutting one in five of its sites across the country.

Critics have blasted Edinburgh-based RBS' "inexplicable" decision, with the firm also confirming 105 employees would be hit by the closures at 18 of their 86 branches.

Banks are set to be shuttered by September, with the branch in Aberdeen at St Nicholas Street and the store in New Deer in Aberdeenshire confirmed to be among those closing down in a devastating blow for Scottish high streets.

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The bank – owned by NatWest, which is still one-third owned by the taxpayer after the 2008 financial crisis – pointed to the rise of digital services, saying 80 per cent of its active current account holders now bank online and more than 97 per cent of its retail accounts are opened over the internet, writes the Scottish Daily Express.

A spokesperson for RBS said: "Our customers are using digital banking more than ever before – over 80 per cent of our active current account holders now use our digital services and over 97 per cent of retail accounts with us are now opened online.

"While we are increasingly engaging our customers digitally, our branch network remains important to us. We commit to no further review of our Royal Bank of Scotland branch network until at least 2026."

RBS added that there was increasing evidence that elderly and vulnerable customers were starting to use digital banking as well.

The New Deer branch will also being shutting down this year
The New Deer branch will also being shutting down this year -Credit:Google

The spokesperson continued: "But we know that a small number of people are not yet comfortable with it, which is why we are proactively reaching out to support them with this transition, having made over 200,000 calls last year. We also have experts that they can speak to for support and guidance."

North-east MSP Douglas Lumsden commented "Just months after the shutters went down on the Union Street Halifax branch, this is the latest in a grim litany of closures for Aberdeen.

"Footfall is again cited by RBS as a reason for getting rid of St Nicholas. But closing branches won't entice people to use facilities any more in the city centre.

"I'm very sorry for the 100 employees who could soon be facing redundancy, and I am seeking assurances from RBS that the bank will redeploy as many of them as possible — bolstering other local branches instead of letting services slip further."

Scottish Conservative candidate for Gordon and Buchan, Harriet Cross, added: "The closure of the Royal Bank of Scotland in New Deer is a hammer blow to the community who now face travelling to Peterhead or Inverurie for their nearest branch.

"I have spoken to several businesses, particularly in sectors such as farming, who regularly rely on these services. Banks are supposed to carry out a full community impact assessment when considering a closure.

"I will be contacting RBS to ascertain whether this has been done and what measures are in place to help customers, particularly the most vulnerable in the village.

"It's completely unacceptable for banks such as RBS to leave rural residents in places like New Deer behind. No matter the percentages involved, this terrible decision will provide little comfort to customers, local businesses, charities and other community groups who depend on access to personal banking."

Which RBS branches are closing?

  • Aberdeen St. Nicholas

  • Bathgate

  • Cumbernauld Tay Walk

  • Dundee Kingsway Circus

  • East Kilbride

  • Edinburgh Bruntsfield

  • Edinburgh Leith

  • Edinburgh Nicolson Street

  • Glasgow Cardonald

  • Glasgow Charing Cross West

  • Glasgow Rutherglen West

  • Helensburgh

  • Inverness Chief Office

  • Inverness Eastgate

  • Largs

  • New Deer

  • Newbridge

  • Wishaw

RBS branches to close in September