PRESTWICK’S Bank of Scotland is among the list of branches in Scotland that are set for closure next year.

Due to the “changing ways” of customers choosing to use online banking, users of the bank at The Cross will now have to travel to Ayr on the High Street, which entails a 20 minute journey.

It is expected that it will officially close on March 6, 2018.

A spokesperson for Bank of Scotland, said: “We have made the difficult decision to close the Bank of Scotland, Prestwick branch on March 6, 2018.

“This is due to the changing ways our customers choose to bank with us, which has resulted the branch being used less often.

“69 per cent of our personal customers in Prestwick already use other branches and other ways to bank such as online and telephone banking. Personal and business banking customers can withdraw money or check their balance, as well as pay in cheques and money to their account at any Post Office branch.

“We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause and have informed customers of the closest alternative branch, which is Ayr.”

It is understood that there may be some role reductions, however, the firm explained that they were “not in a position” to comment about the job losses, adding: “We are going through a process of redeployment with colleagues and will not have final numbers for reductions until this is complete.”

In October, Prestwick also saw the closure of the Royal Bank of Scotland branch on it’s Main Street, which was announced earlier this year after it saw a fall in customers coming to the branch and revealed that they were actively choosing to bank in different ways. 

It released figures that showed 62 per cent of Prestwick’s banking customers using the company’s digital banking options.

Other Bank of Scotland locations set to close next year, include: Alva, Bridge of Allan, Denny, East Carnoustie, East Lochgelly, Edinburgh Piershill, Glasgow Dalmuir, Glasgow Giffnock, Glasgow Scotstoun and Stirling Munro Road.