Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Outrage over RBS branch closures
The banking giant has revealed that 259 branches — 62 RBS and 197 NatWest centres — will close between May and June next year, with a total loss of about 1,000 jobs.
The RBS branches affected in Tayside are Dundee’s Stobswell centre — set to close on June 20 — and outlets in Montrose and Perth, set to close on June 6 and 27 respectively.
It is understood about 30 jobs could be hit across Tayside.
RBS said today in the statement: “A decision has been taken to close 62 Royal Bank of Scotland branches with about 158 redundancies. We will seek these on a voluntary basis. We realise this is difficult news for our colleagues and we are doing everything we can to support those affected. We will ensure compulsory redundancies are kept to an absolute minimum”. The bank said it was writing to customers affected.
Unite the Union slammed the decision.
A spokesman for the union said: “The decision to put the jobs of around 1,000 loyal and hardworking staff at risk is a massive blow for the entire business.
“This massive branch closure programme will fundamentally change banking i n t his country.
“This move by a taxpayer-backed institution is simply unacceptable.
“It is shocking and represents a change in how the banking sector conducts its affairs. The sheer scale of this latest round of branch closures is savage.”
Unite Scotland’s regional officer Lyn Turner described the announcement as “institutional financial vandalism”.
Local residents, already reeling after the closure of the area’s TSB branch, slammed the decision.
Stewart Smith, 51, said: “It will be a massive loss to the community. I usually only use the bank machines.”
Nicola Keogh, 36, said it will be a big loss for the area — especially the older community, adding: “They will now need to go into town to get a bank and some may not be able to.”
David Tyrell, 69, of Fintry, said the closure was “ridiculous” and added: “I use the bank a lot, as it is the closest to us in Fintry.
“I will now need to go into town to use a bank.”
THREE Tayside branches of the Royal Bank of Scotland are set to close, it was announced today.