The towns bearing the brunt of bank closures

More than one in three of the latest branch closures announced by the Bank of Scotland will affect the south of the country.

Five towns - Annan, Moffat, Peebles, Thornhill and Sanquhar - are earmarked to see their facilities shut later this year or early in 2026.

The Lloyds Group says most people now bank online and they will offer alternative provision.

However, residents in the affected areas say they have been "shocked" by the moves which can leave the nearest branch many miles away.

The latest list of 14 planned closures has seen Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders particularly affected.

Lloyds said a banking hub would be created in Annan while community bankers would be introduced in Moffat, Peebles, Sanquhar and Thornhill.

It said most of its customers now used its app or online banking, and transactions in the branches affected had fallen by between 44% and 53% in the past five years.

It added that staff affected would be offered a role at another brank or in another part of the business.

A previous round of closures will see Langholm and Newton Stewart sites - also in Dumfries and Galloway - shut later this year.

Thornhill sits on the A76, running between Dumfries and Kilmarnock. It has a bit of a bustle about its main street - even on a winter Wednesday morning.

Its Bank of Scotland branch occupies a prominent position in an attractive sandstone building.

Adam Zdravkovic, who is the secretary of the community council, said news of the closure plans had not been welcome.

"The reaction has not been positive," he said.

"It's going to really affect a mix of residents, local businesses, charitable organisations, voluntary organisations.

"There is quite a thriving business and voluntary community here, and to not have the ability to walk in and out of a bank on the High Street is going to really affect things."

Fellow resident Gordon Lawson echoed those concerns for local organisations.

"In this area, a lot of people still work with cash," he said.

The closure of the last bank in town leaves their nearest branch in Dumfries, about 14 miles (22km) away.

If the Bank of Scotland shuts in the tourist town of Moffat they would be even further - 20 miles (32km) - from that Dumfries branch.

Sub postmaster of the local post office Jamie Wood said he feared they would come under a "bit of pressure" if the closure went ahead.

"When the bank does go, we're going to be expected to take up the slack, which is fine," he said.

"But there's going to be additional costs, probably extended hours and probably more staffing involved in an area of the business which we don't actually make any money off in the first place.

"We're going to be the last man standing, as it were, in the town and we will certainly do our best to to serve the community."

Community council secretary Mick Barker said there had been "shock and surprise" at the decision.

"We're all aware that banks have been closing branches, but this particular branch is a real hub both for the business community and the visitors that come into town," he said.

"Moffat's population has an above average age, compared with the rest of the county and Scotland.

"And it's going to be a real wrench for people who have decades of experience dealing with the bank here to have to find new ways of banking, new places to travel to and new challenges."

Over in Peebles in the Borders, Peter Maudsley is chairman of the community council. He is a Bank of Scotland customer and said he had spoken to a number of people in the town about the move.

"At no time has anyone voiced any support for this closure - quite the reverse," he said.

"We are fortunate in Peebles that our High Street is reasonably vibrant, not like many of our towns.

"However, many shopkeepers find it difficult to remain profitable and anything that has a potential to reduce footfall is unwelcome."

He said older people preferred to "deal with a human being" or might not have access to a computer.

He said many locals - himself included - would be switching to a bank which maintained a presence in the town.

A Bank of Scotland spokesperson said: "Over 20 million customers are using our apps for on-demand access to their money, and customers have more choice and flexibility than ever for their day-to-day banking.

"Alongside our apps, customers can also use telephone banking, visit a community banker or use any Halifax, Lloyds or Bank of Scotland branch giving access to many more branches.

"Customers can also do their everyday banking at over 11,000 branches of a post office or in a banking hub."

It added that all the branches involved had alternative options for accessing cash such as a post office or free to use ATM.