Nairn residents are facing drastically-reduced banking facilities in the town for the second time in a year.
TSB has announced it is to slash its opening hours from a five-day operation to 12 hours a week.
It will retain its High Street branch but from July will open for six hours on a Tuesday and six on a Friday.
Nairn’s RSB branch closed last year, to be replaced by a mobile service in town for less than an hour on two days per week.
TSB customers have received a letter telling them about the closure.
The letter says: “To make sure we meet the future needs of our customers and local communities, we’re looking at how we can make changes to invest in our branch and digital services.
“This includes re-fitting some branches, opening new ones and adjusting the hours of our quieter branches.
“Following a careful and full review of Nairn branch, we have used customer transaction information and local knowledge to identify when our customers use the branch most.”
Disgusted local Andrew Rankine said: “TSB are reducing opening hours by 60% and I quote ‘to make sure we meet the future needs of our customers and local communities’.
“Once again a town out with the central belt is losing its services.”
Local councillor Liz MacDonald said: “ I like many others transferred business to TSB from RBS and asked at the time if the Nairn branch was staying open.
“I was told it would be and I am very disappointed that they are cutting it down to 2 days per week.
“It will make it difficult for folk without a car or transport if they cannot make the very limited opening hours.
“I would have expected the population of Nairn warranted a local full time branch.”
Nairn resident Mandy Lawson said: “There was no consultation about this.
“The options are narrowing even for those who use online banking.
“It’s not great for the High Street, it’s not great for tourists and it’s not great for local jobs.”
A TSB spokesman said employees would be offered options about their employment, and insisted there would no job losses.
He said: “Our customers use banking services in different ways and that is why we try to adapt our offer to deliver them the best possible service however they choose to bank. This means investment in both branches and digital channels.
“With fewer people using some of our branches, we are reviewing the number of hours some of them open.
“We have over 150 branches across the country and 70% of people in Scotland live within 2 miles of a TSB branch.
“Our branch partners are working with our customers to support them as we make these changes and there will be no job losses.”
The Bank of Scotland still maintains a full time presence in Nairn High Street.
