Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has announced it will close its Dingwall branch later this year.
It is one of several UK branches which are being closed by the bank.
RBS said counter transactions for personal customers had decreased by 52% in the Ross-shire bank.
And it said the number of customers of the branch also using mobile apps increased by 44% between January 2019 and January this year.
The number of jobs affected is unknown.
The bank, on High Street, will close from November 1. Alness has the nearest branch, 10 miles from Dingwall.
Dingwall RBS closure ‘out of order’
Councillor Margaret Paterson said she was “absolutely devastated” to hear of the closure and accused the firm of being “out of order”.
She added: “It was the first we heard about it.
“They never even consulted with the staff in Dingwall as far as I’m aware. It wasn’t even a consideration.
“The nearest branch is quite a distance away, especially for elderly people.
“Quite a number of senior citizens, like myself, like to go into a bank.”
Ms Patterson said she worries for the staff affected and hopes the bank will reconsider its position.
She continued: “I will be responding because I believe they should think again.
“The jobs being affected is very sad and a big worry.
“The staff in there are absolutely excellent, very welcoming and extremely helpful.
“Quite a number of staff will lose their jobs or offered to be moved elsewhere which won’t be possible for some.
“It’s a very sad day.”
RBS Statement
The bank said customers were “shifting to mobile and online banking.”
An RBS spokesperson added: “As with many industries, most of our customers are shifting to mobile and online banking because it’s faster and easier for people to manage their financial lives.
“When we close branches we have to make sure that no one is left behind.
“We take our responsibility seriously to support the people who face challenges in moving online.
“We are investing to provide them with support and alternatives that work for them.”
