The Royal Bank of Scotland – RBS – have announced the closure of a further 15 branches across the North West with the likely loss of around 150 jobs.
Across the UK, 54 more branches are earmarked for closure following the announcement earlier this year that 160 branches were closing with the loss of up to 800 jobs affecting 30 branches in the region.
The closures are linked to RBS not having to sell its Williams & Glyn business and where branches are close to NatWest.
Customers of Royal Bank of Scotland in England and Wales will be able to use NatWest branches and local post offices for their everyday banking needs.
The RBS have also blamed closures on the increase in customers using Internet banking facilities in favour of in-branch services.
However, there has also been a backlash from their more elderly and disabled customers who prefer a more ‘convenient’ personal service.
An RBS spokesman said:
“As we are no longer launching Williams & Glyn as a challenger bank we now have two branch networks operating in close proximity to each other in England and Wales – NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland.
“As a result we have reviewed our overall branch footprint in England and Wales and have made the difficult decision to close 54 Royal Bank of Scotland branches. Customers of Royal Bank of Scotland in England and Wales will be able to use NatWest branches and local post offices for their everyday banking needs.”
Branches newly affected in the Stockport area include:
Disley, Hazel Grove, Marple, Prestbury and Romiley,
The full list of RBS branches to be closed in January 2019 are:
Adlington, Altrincham, Ashbourne, Atherton, Bamber Bridge, Basildon, Belper, Blackpool Talbot Square, Bolton Harwood, Bournemouth, Burscough Bridge, Buxton High Street, Cardiff Roath, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Congleton, Croston, Darlington, Disley, Dronfield, Enfield, Eastbourne, Fleetwood, Formby, Hathersage, Hazel Grove, Hindley, Ipswich, Kensington High Street, London, Kingston Upon Thames, Kirkham, Leigh, Maghull, Manchester Droylsden, Marple, Matlock, Notting Hill Gate, London, Parbold, Partington, Pemberton, Poulton-le-Fylde, Prescot, Prestbury, Prestatyn, Radcliffe, Ramsbottom, Romiley, Shaw, Sheffield Ecclesfield, South Elmsall, Standish, Swallownest, Swansea, Watford, Wolverhampton.