Royal Bank of Scotland has confirmed plans to close a fifth of its branches in Scotland.
The bank, now branded under the NatWest Group, said it will shut 18 of its 86 branches across the country - including three in Edinburgh and three in Glasgow.
105 jobs are set to be impacted by the branch closures, which will reportedly begin "within months".
Royal Bank of Scotland said that there will "no further review" of its network of branches "until at least 2026".
In a statement, the bank said its customers are using digital banking "more than ever before", with over 80% of active current account holders using its digital services.
READ MORE: Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street RBS to shut amid swathe of UK bank closures
A Royal Bank of Scotland spokesperson said: “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.
“We are also significantly investing in refreshing our network – we are investing c£10.5m in our branch network across Scotland, from 2023-24, as well as continuing to invest in shared solutions like the Post Office and banking hubs.”
“Digital banking continues to provide new and inclusive ways of allowing the overwhelming majority of our individual and business customers, including the elderly and vulnerable, to bank with us in ways that they weren’t able to before.
"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.”
In response to the RBS announcement, Esther O'Hara, Unite industrial officer said: "The news that RBS is proposing to slash its high street and community banks by a fifth is another massive blow to this loyal workforce and the communities the bank serve. Many of these banks are situated in rural and remote communities where RBS customers rely on this vital service.
"The proposed closures come off the back of RBS closures elsewhere in the UK and we fear this latest announcement is just another stage in the phasing out of banks from our nation's streets in the race to make all banking operations digital which is not suitable or accessible for many customers.
"The proposals raise fears for over 100 jobs and Unite's objective is to ensure that there are no compulsory redundancies. The Natwest Group, which owns RBS, is an extremely profitable bank with its latest pre-tax profits rising by 20% to £6.2bn last year. It remains a bank which the taxpayer still owns by around 35 per cent, yet there is very little return for the public and no regard for the workforce and the customers the bank is supposed to serve."
Clare Haughey, SNP MSP for Rutherglen, posted on X: "Deeply disappointed RBS are planning on closing their Rutherglen branch. My constituency office is right across the road and so I know just how well utilised it is. As such, I find their decision inexplicable."
Kevin Stewart, SNP MSP for Aberdeen Central, added: "Extremely disappointed that the Aberdeen St Nicholas branch is on the RBS closure hit list. I will be writing to them asking them for the justification for this closure and to give them the opportunity to outline what communication & consultation that have had with customers."
Which Royal Bank of Scotland 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
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