BARCLAYS customers living in Dumfries will now have to cross the border to Carlisle to visit a branch in person. 

It has been announced that the bank on Castle Street, Dumfries, will be closed from October 13. 

The nearest bank for customers will now be on Carlisle's English Street. 

Banks across the country have cited the increase in people banking online rather than in person as a reason for the closures, with 266 planned for closure across the UK.

In a report regarding the closure, Barclays said just 12 customers use this branch regularly as the only way to do their banking, whereas 93 per cent of people who use the Dumfries branch have also banked using the app, online and by phone in 2021.

On social media, MSP for the South of Scotland Colin Smyth described the closure as 'shameful', highlighting a growth in profits for the banking group.

"Barclays announced first quarter profits of £2.6bn - up 25 per cent but loyal customers in Dumfries will have to travel to England for their nearest branch when bank bosses shut the local branch in October making all staff redundant.

"Shameful," he said.