THE Ramsbottom and Radcliffe branches of the Royal Bank of Scotland are to close in January, it has been announced.

The branches are among 54 that will close across England and Wales, resulting in the loss of almost 260 jobs.

RBS, still 62 per cent owned by the taxpayer, said the move was linked to it not having to sell its Williams & Glyn business, and that it was seeking to reduce overlap in branches in close proximity to each other.

The closure of the Ramsbottom branch, in Bridge Street, will leave the town with just one bank - Santander in Bolton Street.

It follows a reduction in hours at the branch and the closure of the town's Natwest branch by the RBS group last autumn.

In March, Bury North MP James Frith wrote to the chief executive of RBS asking him to extend the opening hours of the Ramsbottom branch.

Speaking following the latest announcement, he said: “I am furious about this decision.

"RBS, which made billions in profits this year, have justified the closure by saying that less people are using the branch. But last year they reduced the opening hours to three days per week and later closed the Natwest branch.

"If you make it harder and harder for people to access physical banking services then of course fewer people will do so.

“Customers will now have to travel four miles to Bury to access the last remaining Natwest branch and businesses who rely on the branch for cash deposits and also the footfall that the bank brings into the town are going to be hit hard.

“I urge any residents or businesses who use the branch who will be affected by the closure to contact me. I will be sending a joint letter to RBS on behalf of the community of users.”

The latest closures come on top of 162 branch closures announced earlier this year, which resulted in 792 job losses.

The Bury branch was one of those named, and is scheduled to close in November.

The latest set of closures have been criticised by unions, who have described the decision as a hammer blow to the disabled and elderly.

Rob MacGregor, of union Unite, said: "It is utterly disgusting that Royal Bank of Scotland has the audacity to announce that yet more important local bank branches will permanently close their doors.

"This announcement heaps further misery on communities across England and Wales that have already seen the demise of local banking services as branches that were signposted by the bank earlier in 2018 as an alternative for customers whose branches were closing, now suffering a similar fate.

"The disabled, elderly and many local businesses will today be deeply disappointed that their bank has chosen to withdraw from their community and no longer provide them with the access to banking services which we all deserve."