The Royal Bank of Scotland is closing some 150 bank branches and cutting hundreds of jobs. The bank says this is in response to changing consumer behavior and a surge in the popularity of online and mobile banking. It said 30 RBS and 128 NatWest branches, which are also owned by the group, would shut, affecting some 470 jobs. The bank said simple transactions undertaken in branch at NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland have fallen by 43% since 2010, while online and mobile transactions have increased by more than 400%. It added that despite the closures, it remained committed to providing services to its customers and had created a number of so-called ‘community banker’ positions, which are intended to serve rural communities, providing customers with personal assistance and support accessing the right banking options for their needs, as well as help with achieving their financial plans and goals.
