West Lothian Bank of Scotland to close as residents left with limited options

West Lothian residents are set to have one of the last few remaining banks in the area snatched away as Bank of Scotland has announced the pending closure of its Linlithgow branch.

In May, we reported how West Lothian Council asked Natwest to maintain Bathgate’s RBS due to the lack of available options for nearby residents.

Now, Bank of Scotland has announced the closure of its Linlithgow branch on Blackness Road in February 2025. Bosses say the decision has been made due to customers using mobile and internet banking instead of visiting in person.

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Bank branches across the UK have been a victim of the digital age in recent years with RBS also closing the majority of its Edinburgh branches due to changing customer habits.

Justifying their decision, Bank of Scotland posted a closure review online, saying: “Before we close any branch, we look at how our customers are managing their money and using the branch.

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“Most customers are now using our Mobile Banking app, Internet Banking or calling us instead. This means they are using branches, including our Linlithgow branch much less. Because of this, we’ll be closing our Linlithgow branch.”

The Bank of Scotland also noticed customers’ nearest branch following the closure will be in Grangemouth or Falkirk High Street. More details on the closure and alternative ways to bank can be found here.

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