RBS Announces Closure of 62 Branches

Royal Bank of Scotland has announced today that it plans to close 1 in 4 RBS branches across Scotland by June next year.

In total, 250 branches face closure across the UK with a loss of over 700 jobs.

For the last six months, RBS has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on an advertising campaign to convince Scots that RBS is not the Royal Bank of Scotland, BUT the Royal Bank for Scotland.

The bank claims that these closures cannot be avoided, but the "catastrophic abandonment of services" will be bridged with mobile van services, new digital services and banking on offer at local Post Offices.

Many rural communities of Scotland rely on RBS to support their businesses and for personal use.

Unite Scotland's Deputy Reigonal Secretary, Mary Alexander said: 

"RBS has forgotten about the many people in food bank Scotland who cannot afford to take the bus to their nearest branch or parents with small children who do not have access to a car.

"Nor do they care much about the elderly or those in poor health who cannot travel any distance to their nearest branch."

Research claims that particularly where the last bank in town closes, local businesses will suffer as customers will pay for travel to access the bank.

Royal Bank of Scotland have annouced the following closures: