AN MP has demanded an urgent meeting with top bosses at the Royal Bank of Scotland after it was revealed that a branch in Biggar is to close.

Tweeddale MP David Mundell (Cons) expressed his disappointment at branches being earmarked for closure and said the bank had “given up” on rural Scotland.

He has called on RBS to rethink their decision to close the Biggar branch amid concerns that a huge number of people in his rural constituency would be left without access to a branch.

Mr Mundell said: “It is extremely disappointing news that RBS have earmarked their branch in Biggar for closure.

“It is clear that RBS has given up on rural Scotland and have no thought about the worries this will cause my constituents.

“I’m demanding an urgent meeting with RBS to convey my anger at their decision and call on them to rethink their plans to close the branch in Biggar.

“If the Biggar branch does close, then people in a huge part of my constituency, the size of a small country, would be left without access to a bank branch putting the elderly and vulnerable at risk when it comes to accessing cash.

“This is a real betrayal of rural communities by RBS and I will be demanding answers for my constituents from the bank’s bosses.”

And a local business-owner has added her voice to protests over the closure plans.

Donna Morgan, who runs Brownlie’s of Biggar said: “I’m very sad to hear that people are losing their jobs. However, the Post Office within our store allows customers to bank with us each day between 6am and 10pm.”

The RBS branch is due to close on May 31 and is one of 259 across the UK to face the axe next summer.

Elsewhere in the Borders, Selkirk, Melrose, Hawick, Jedburgh, Duns and Eyemouth have also been earmarked for closure. Penicuik in neighbouring Midlothian is also due to shut.

It will leave the region with only three RBS branches, in Peebles, Galashiels and Kelso.

A drop in transactions at each of the affected branches is being blamed for the decision as more and more customers go online to do their banking.