Comrie RBS branch to shut following review
It was given a temporary reprieve by the bank
The RBS branch in a Perthshire town will close, along with seven others, following an independent review.
The banking giant appointed Johnston Carmichael to look at the future of ten closure-threatened branches, saying it would accept the findings.
It has recommended shutting eight and keeping two - Biggar in South Lanarkshire and Castlebay in Barra.
Its base in Comrie will go, while others in Beauly, Tongue, Kyle, Melrose, Inveraray, Douglas and Gretna will also shut on dates yet to be determined.
The closures come in addition to 52 others already announced.
Simon Watson, Managing Director of Personal Banking at Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “These branches were selected because, unlike the other branches that were closed, they were nearly all the last bank in town and more than nine miles to the nearest alternative Royal Bank branch. We accept Johnston Carmichael’s recommendations in full.
“Johnston Carmichael has judged that there are exceptional circumstances in Biggar and Barra and has recommended that these branches remain open – so they will.
"We also note the further recommendations for enhancements that can be made in six of the branch locations and can confirm we will be accepting these recommendations in full.
“The report highlights the difficult nature of branch closure decisions. We know branches are important to many communities, but equally we know that fewer and fewer people are using them as more people bank online.
“With today’s report, we are able to say for the first time with certainty that there will be no further reviews of our branch network in the immediate future – until at least 2020.”
Unite the union has described the review as a 'rubber-stamping'.
Its Unite regional officer, Lyn Turner said: “This is obviously good news for RBS customers and communities in Castle Bay and Biggar.
"However, the Johnston Carmichael review was entirely predictable and nothing but a rubber-stamp of RBS management decisions.
"Sixty communities out of an original sixty-two earmarked for closure will now be marginalised by this so-called review.
"Unite will now request to meet RBS urgently to discuss the impact from today’s announcement on our members”.