A BANK is to close a city branch after reporting a big fall in the number of people using it.

RBS has announced today it will be shutting its Southampton College Place branch – meaning customers will now have to walk more than a mile to the nearest one.

The banking giant decided to axe the branch because they say the number of transactions at the branch have reduced by 36 per cent since 2011.

And it says only 17 people are using the branch on a regular basis while more than half of these customers already use other branches.

It will shut its doors on August 2015.

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But RBS says after that there will be a number of alternative ways for people in the area to continue to bank.

This includes at the nearby Post Office where customers can check their balance, deposit cheques, withdraw cash and get business coinage.

The nearest RBS in Southampton is its High Street branch 1.2 miles away.

A spokesman said: “We are committed to following the UK Government protocol on branch closures, and we have made the decision following careful consideration of a wide range of factors including branch usage and the alternative ways our customers can bank with us locally.

“Our customers are increasingly using alternative ways to bank with them such as online and mobile banking.

“As a result, branch transactions have declined by around 36 per cent since 2010 whilst online and mobile transactions have grown by more than 300 per cent.

“Only 9 per cent of their total transactions are now undertaken in branches in comparison to 25 per cent in 2010.

“We are writing to all of our customers who use the branch, as well as displaying posters in branch to let them know of the closure.

"Between now and the closure date, we will engage with all of our customers, local businesses and the wider local community to make sure they are aware of the alternative ways of accessing their banking with us in the local area, and to answer any questions they might have.”