THE BANK of Scotland is to close 13 branches in Scotland by mid September.

The development came a day after the Royal Bank of Scotland confirmed they are to close several branches across Scotland, including at least one which was the 'last bank in town'.

The banks' announcements have been criticised by the Federation of Small Businesses in Scotland who warned last year that around 100 Scottish towns and high streets were facing local closures.

The BoS, part of the Lloyds Banking Group, confirmed 13 branches in Glasgow, Paisley, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen would be shut by September 18. It comes after a strategic review of the business which was announced in October last year.

Four of the branches are in Glasgow (Duke Street, Muirend, Glasgow Cross and Hillhead), seven are in Edinburgh (Marchmont, Blackhall, Fairmilehead, St James, Holyrood, Murrayfield and Sighthill) and one is in Aberdeen (Torry).

The BoS branch in Burghead, Moray, shut on May 12 and has been replaced with a mobile branch service.

A bank spokesman said: "Our focus has been on urban areas where there is another Bank of Scotland branch in close proximity in order to minimise the disruption to customers. Branches continue to play an important role for Bank of Scotland and we apologise to customers for any inconvenience this may cause"

Colin Borland, the FSB's head of external affairs in Scotland, said: "This is a bad week for Scottish towns and underlines a worrying trend. While we support the use of technology to provide better services, businesses need locations to deposit and withdraw cash.

"Bank branches also provide important footfall to our high streets. Business owners want to look their manager in the eye when they do deals and develop relationships.

"We urge Scotland's big banks to revisit this decision and pledge to stop abandoning small town Scotland.

"Our warning that large public and private sector bodies are pulling the rug from many local economies has come to fruition. As long as big bodies continue to reach the same conclusion over and over again - that consolidating their estate is an easy way to deliver short-term paper savings - then small town Scotland will continue to lose out."