More Bank of Scotland branches to close

Branches to go in Scotland include those in Gullane, East Lothian, Dornoch in Sutherland and Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street.

Some 54 Lloyds branches will also be affected, as well as 22 Halifax branches.

The latest cuts are among a programme of 400 branch closures already announced in principle and will result in a net reduction of 325 staff.

Workers were told about the plan on yesterday morning.

They are among the 9,000 staff whose job cuts were also previously announced.

Lloyds said the closures were the result of fewer branch transactions.

“Our branches will continue to play a vital role in our multi-channel approach to meeting the full range of customer needs, and we expect to continue to have the biggest branch network in the UK,” a Lloyds spokesperson said.

However, Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer, said: “The industry must halt these endless branch closure programs and open their eyes to what these closures are doing to rural communities, their disabled customers and the small business customers who depend on access to a local branch.”

The move will hit rural communities hardest and a spokesman for elderly charity Age Scotland said that it would leave many older people in danger of being further isolated from vital services.

He said: “As banks have closed local branches, they have cut off people who live in rural areas or have reduced mobility. This latest round of branch closures from Bank of Scotland is going to leave more people cut off from vital services especially as internet can never truly replace some basic banking functions.”

The full list of the branches to close are:

Bank of Scotland

Lloyds Bank

Halifax