Campaigners fear communities will be “marginalised” by bank closures as RBS U-turned on just two of 62 branch shutdowns.

The branches in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, and Castlebay on Barra in the Western Isles will not be closed due to independent reviewers citing “exceptional circumstances”.

However, the closure of eight branches out of the 10 under review has now been confirmed, in addition to 52 previously announced.

Branches in Beauly, Tongue, Kyle, Melrose, Inveraray, Comrie, Douglas and Gretna will all shut on dates yet to be determined.

The bank commissioned business advisory firm Johnston Carmichael to review 10 branches earmarked for closure, as they were mostly all the last branch in town and more than nine miles from the nearest alternative RBS branch.

They recommended that two were not closed – Barra partly due to concerns over bad weather hampering the mobile bank reaching the island and Biggar based on local demand and the nearest RBS branch being 13 miles away in Lanark.

The bank also accepted review recommendations for more action to boost the quality and accessibility of alternative banking facilities for six of the closing branches, such as not closing the attached bank machines and expanding mobile bank provision.

RBS managing director of personal banking Simon Watson said: “Johnston Carmichael has judged that there are exceptional circumstances in Biggar and Barra, and has recommended that these branches remain open – so they will.”

He added: “We know branches are important to many communities, but equally we know that fewer and fewer people are using them as more people bank online.

“In every case of a branch closing we are committed to providing the best possible range of banking alternatives, including mobile branches, banking in the local post office, community bankers and remote services such as telephone banking.”

He said there would be no further branch reviews until at least 2020.

The Unite union, involved in the public and political campaign to save the branches, said the review was “entirely predictable”.

Unite regional officer Lyn Turner said: “Sixty communities out of an original sixty-two earmarked for closure will now be marginalised by this so-called review.”

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford, a key campaigner against the closures, vowed to fight on.

He said: “Whilst we welcome the news that two RBS branches in Scotland will be saved from closure, this is no consolation for the communities which will be affected by eight RBS branches which are set to close.

“These proposals do not properly consider the needs of those who are not proficient with technology or require extra assistance to undertake their banking.

“Closures will be disastrous for those who rely on a local bank branch for personal banking or for their small business.”

Sandy Manson, chief executive of Johnston Carmichael, said: “We recognise the importance of local banking services being available to these communities and we have therefore carefully set out our rationale for reaching each recommendation on a branch-by-branch basis.”