CALLS have been made for a credit union to be introduced in Prestonpans to replace the Royal Bank of Scotland.

RBS announced plans to close its branch in the town – the last bank in Prestonpans – last month.

That move has been condemned by politicians and local residents, with East Lothian Council leader Willie Innes accusing the bank of betrayal.

Mr Innes, ward councillor for Prestonpans, told the town’s community council that the decision had sparked a lot of anger.

He said: “They have betrayed the people of Prestonpans, who have remained loyal to the Royal Bank of Scotland for the best part of 100 years.

“There are other places in East Lothian which have more than one bank branch and if they were going to be equitable they should have looked there, but they did not. They picked on our community and people in Prestonpans are not happy.”

A number of community councillors called for the bank to be replaced by a credit union – a not-for-profit bank owned by its customers.

Community councillor Calum Miller suggested the bank could include the branch among those it had been ordered to release in England and Wales. RBS has been told by the European Union it must divest part of its business as part of it allowing the bank to receive a public cash bail-out, and is looking at offloading 300 branches in its Williams and Glynn division.

A petition against the RBS closure, started by East Lothian Labour Party, has gathered support on the streets of the town and online.

And Iain Gray MSP led a debate in the Scottish Parliament over RBS branch closures last week.

Following the debate, he said: “There is widespread agreement that closing this branch is a slap in the face to loyal RBS customers, particularly older and disabled ones. But, as the last bank in the area, it is also a blow for the whole town, including the many local businesses which use it.

“Communities nearby suffered the closure of RBS branches in Port Seton and, only two years ago, Longniddry. If this goes ahead, thousands of RBS customers in that part of East Lothian will be left without a branch in their vicinity.”

RBS previously described the move as a “difficult decision”, brought about by a 22 per cent decline in branch transactions since 2011.