Closing dates for five bank branches in Tayside and Fife have been confirmed.
Bank of Scotland is shutting its branches in Dunkeld and Crieff in Perthshire, plus Cupar and Falkland in Fife.
And Barclays will close its branch in St Andrews on September 8.
Barclays said it will provide face-to-face banking services at a community location.
Details will be provided in the coming weeks.
Bank of Scotland branches to close
The doors will close in Cupar, at The Cross, on October 2.
The bank said transactions by personal customers at its Cupar branch were down 73% in the past five years, and business inquiries down 86%.
Bank of Scotland research also shows more than half of its customers are over 55.
The branches in Falkland and Dunkeld will shut for the final time on December 5.
In Dunkeld, the bank’s research showed there has been a 64% reduction in personal customers since 2018, and a 56% fall in business customers.
It also found 76% of the customers at Dunkeld were also using other Bank of Scotland branches, internet or telephone banking.
It follows the decision to close the Brechin branch last year.
In each case the branch will be replaced with a community banker, with set hours to visit.
And the Crieff bank, on Galvelmore Street, will close on February 12 next year.
It is being closed despite Bank of Scotland reporting it was “regularly” used by 142 customers in the year to January 2023.
That is a marked increase on the Cupar branch, which was regularly used by 49 customers in the year.
A total of 28 people used the Bank of Scotland in Dunkeld regularly, and 21 used the Falkland branch.
Plans to shut Fife branches ‘concerning’
North East Fife MP Wendy Chamberlain said news of the Cupar and Falkland closures was “concerning”.
Her calls for Bank of Scotland to reconsider were echoed by local MSP Willie Rennie.
Ms Chamberlain said: “This announcement is concerning and I urge Bank of Scotland to think again.
“The loss of services will undoubtedly increase the difficulty local people and businesses face, leaving them with fewer options or requiring them to travel further.”
‘Local people will lose out’
Mr Rennie added: “The closures announced today will see a significant reduction in banking services across north-east Fife, with fewer choices for people who still want to bank in person.
“Like Bank of Scotland, Barclays should think again and consider the long-term impact of this closure.
“This also makes increasingly clear the importance of establishing local banking hubs to ensure that remaining in-person services are maintained.”
Perthshire banks closing a ‘big blow’
Meanwhile, Perthshire North MSP John Swinney said the news was a “big blow” to locals.
He said: “As is so often the case with branch closures, those most acutely impacted by these decisions will be elderly and vulnerable customers.
“Many of whom will find themselves unable to effectively use internet or mobile banking for a variety of reasons.”
Mr Swinney hailed Dunkeld as “one of Perthshire’s premier tourist locations”.
He said access to the Bank of Scotland branch there was “a very useful service” for visitors.
The former deputy First Minister also said he would find out how Bank of Scotland plans to support vulnerable and elderly customers.
“I will also be enquiring as to what measures are being put in place to support staff currently working in the branch, and whether these employees will be offered the opportunity to be reassigned to other roles within Bank of Scotland,” he added.
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