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Around 12 bank branches are due to shut up shop across Edinburgh and the Lothians over the next year.
A number of residents could face the scenario of losing their only local branch as banking giants look to get rid of their physical branches as customers move online.
Bank of Scotland will be closing five locations while Royal Bank of Scotland will also shut five and TSB two, the Scottish Daily Express has revealed.
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Banks say footfall has fallen at branches with more customers opting to bank online.
A spokesman for RBS told the Express over 80 per cent of its current account holders used digital banking while 97 per cent of retail accounts are opened online. They added there would be no further closures until at least 2026.
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They said: “We are also significantly investing in refreshing our network – we are investing c£10.5m in our network across Scotland, from 2023-24, as well as continuing to invest in shared solutions like the Post Office and banking hubs. Our customers appreciate the speed and convenience of digital banking for everyday transactions, and often, when it comes to making bigger, more complex decisions they value speaking to our skilled and experienced colleagues.
“Like any business, we strive to meet our customers’ changing needs and expectations and we’ve been responding to the industry wide shift towards digital services by investing to broaden what customers can do themselves and to offer them greater personalisation.”
A spokeswoman for Lloyds Group, which owns Bank of Scotland, told the Scottish Express that “mobile banking is more popular than ever” and banking via an app helps customers “manage, maximise and understand more about their money.” She added: “Alongside our app, customers can bank online, over the phone, at a Banking Hub, a Post Office or by speaking to one of our Community Bankers.”
A TSB spokesman said: “The decision to close a branch is never taken lightly, but our customers are now doing most of their banking digitally and we need to move to a better balance of digital and face-to-face services. We remain committed to a national branch network and through innovation and integration with video, telephone, digital, branch and other face-to-face services TSB customers have more ways to bank with us than ever before.”
Jenny Ross, Editor of Which? Money, also told the Express: “While many consumers choose to bank digitally, there remains a significant minority who aren’t yet ready or able to make that switch.
“These people, who may live in more rural areas or are disabled, require protection from the avalanche of bank branch closures that have taken place in recent years. New rules to protect access to cash came into force this week and will mean banks won’t be able to close a branch unless suitable alternatives are in place first, while local residents will be able to raise concerns about gaps in cash provision. Given the impact closures can have on local communities, they are long overdue.”
Bank of Scotland
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Bathgate, West Lothian – June 30, 2025
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Bonnyrigg, Midlothian – October 16, 2024
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Portobello, Edinburgh – October 22, 2024
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Linlithgow, West Lothian – June 23, 2025
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North Berwick, East Lothian – February 19, 2025
Royal Bank of Scotland
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Bathgate, West Lothian – TBC
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Brunstfield, Edinburgh – TBC
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Nicolson Street, Edinburgh – TBC
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Leith, Edinburgh – October 10, 2024
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Newbridge, Edinburgh- TBC
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TSB
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Leith, Edinburgh – September 17, 2024
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Haddington, East Lothian – September 5, 2024
