Clydesdale Bank is to shut three branches in Aberdeen and one in Alford as part of a restructuring aimed at generating savings of £5million.
The Alford branch will close in July, with Granite City sites in Bucksburn and Woodside due to follow suit in August.
Clydesdale Bank said yesterday its branch in Ellon Road, Bridge of Don, would shut in October.
A total of 28 “unsustainable” sites are to close, including 16 Clydesdale Bank branches in Scotland and 12 that are run under the Yorkshire Bank banner south of the border.
A spokesman for the group, which is owned by National Australia Bank, said there were no job losses planned as people working at sites earmarked for closure would be offered new roles at bigger branches.
But union bosses warned that community banking was being eroded, leaving customers with less choice.
Unite union national officer Rob Macgregor said: “Customers are being short-changed by high street banks replacing counter staff with machines.
“According to our own poll, nearly three-quarters of people want the human touch and not just a machine in their local bank branch.
“We expect the company to do everything possible to make redeployment an option and allow workers to move to neighbouring branches.”
The Aberdeen closures will be offset by a new branch opening at 62 Union Street, which Clydesdale Bank said was part of a £45million investment in customer improvements in its retail banking operations.
A further five “flagship” sites are to open across the UK as the group responds to lower footfall at some branches.
It insisted no customer would have to travel more than 500 yards from a closing branch to a post office, where customers can use a traditional counter service.
Clydesdale Bank/Yorkshire Bank chief executive David Thorburn said: “There’s a lot of positive change being driven forward for our customers and there needs to be more as we build a better bank.
“We are making a significant investment to meet the changing needs of customers now and in the future.
“To deliver what are fundamentally necessary changes, we have to face difficult decisions.
“No branch closure is welcomed by customers or staff, I understand that, which is why we are working to minimise the effects these changes have on them.”
He added: “A branch network remains at the core of what we do and we are investing in it. But we must balance that against the investment we need to make in the services customers now expect and are using more – online and mobile banking services that give customers control of their finances when and where they want it most.”
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