TSB announces plans to shut nine Scottish branches

TSB has announced the closure of 36 branches across the UK

TSB is to close nine of its Scottish branches as part of UK-wide cutbacks.

The banking group will shut branches in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stornoway among others later this year, with 250 workers losing their jobs.

The high street firm said a fall in the number of people using its branches had prompted the move, but added the decision “had not been taken lightly”.

The Unite union described it as a “grave mistake”.

A total of 36 branches will close across the UK between this September and May next year.

Glasgow’s Cardonald and Castlemilk, Edinburgh’s Leith branch and those in Haddington, Lerwick, Leven, Peterhead and Stornoway are all set to shut in September.

Meanwhile, the group’s Banff location has been earmarked for closure next spring.

In February, TSB said it was setting aside £29m for a programme of cost-saving initiatives.

It has already closed 10 branches across the country over the past 12 months.

Full list of planned closures

September 2024:

• Alloa

• Bedworth

• Birmingham, Pype Hayes

• Bridlington

• Buxton

• Carmarthen, Blue Street

• Cwmbran, General Rees Square

• Dovercourt

• Edinburgh, Leith

• Felixstowe

• Frome

• Glasgow, Cardonald

• Glasgow, Castlemilk

• Haddington

• Hounslow

• Lerwick

• Leven

• London, Bethnal Green

• London, Clapham

• Longton

• Manchester, Middleton

• Newcastle Upon Tyne, Milvain

• Peterhead

• Sheerness

• Stornoway

• Torquay, St Marychurch

• Whitehaven

May 2025:

• Amble

• Aylsham

• Banff

• Bedlington

• Bude

• Crook

• Flint

• Tenbury Wells

• Whitchurch

A TSB spokesperson said about 96% of all the bank's transactions take place outside of a branch, with the number of in-store transactions falling by 43% over the past four years.

They added: "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."

The company said it was working on reducing business expenses and generating more income by simplifying the business and making it more efficient.

TSB said the rise in online banking meant customers were less inclined to do their banking in person

The job cuts will be in the fraud operations department of the bank, central operations and staff who work at the branches earmarked for closure.

TSB said it would open two more "pods" in local communities, where customers can speak to an expert and get help with using mobile and online banking, and withdraw and deposit cash.

It will also be opening a pop-up service in six new locations which people can visit for face-to-face support, including making payments, getting product information and help with digital banking.

But Unite criticised the move, calling the plans “damaging”.

The union’s regional officer, Andy Case, said: “These workers perform essential work in the fraud departments and across the branch network.

"Through extensive negotiations Unite has been able to substantially reduce the number of jobs at risk.

"However, that isn't sufficient, the union is pressing TSB to urgently reconsider its damaging bank branch closures plan."