RBS announces further branch closures

RBS is set to close another two Yorkshire branches, putting further jobs at risk.

The branches at  Sheffield Ecclesfield and South Elmsall will close in January 2019.  RBS announced that in total it is  closing 54 branches, with 258 jobs nationwide set to be cut.

The latest round of closures are in addition to 162 branch closures announced by the bank earlier this year, which will cost 792 jobs.

RBS said the latest closures were due to the collapse of its plans to float off a new “challenger bank” under the name Williams & Glyn. However, bank bosses pledged no further closures “until at least 2020”.

An RBS spokesperson 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.”

The bank said it will endeavour to keep compulsory redundancies to “an absolute minimum”, but trade union Unite attacked the latest blow to jobs as “disgusting.”

Rob MacGregor, Unite national officer, said: “It is utterly disgusting that Royal Bank of Scotland has the audacity to announce that yet more important local bank branches will permanently close their doors.”

He said the effect on communities across England and Wales would be dramatic, having “already seen the demise of local banking services.”

He added: “The disabled, elderly and many local businesses will today be deeply disappointed that their bank has chosen to withdraw from their community and no longer provide them with the access to banking services which we all deserve.”

The latest cuts to the branch network will leave just 54 Royal Bank of Scotland branches in England and Wales.

The bank spokesperson added: “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 full list of 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.

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