A CUMNOCK businessman was furious when the Royal Bank of Scotland mobile unit was unable to provide cash.

Bill McKenzie of ACMS Construction has lodged a formal complaint with the bank after his wife had waited 20 minutes, only to have her request refused.

He said: “My wife is company secretary and tried to obtain petty cash from the wee van which now constitutes our bank.

“We have been in business with the Royal Bank for 20 years and always tried to obtain cash in this way.

“But the bank’s representative could not provide the petty cash as he said there was no way of verifying my signature on the cheque.

“He directed her to either Ayr or Kilmarnock — but when the Cumnock branch closed we were encouraged to continue banking with the Royal Bank as a promise was made that services would be provided by the wee van.”

Mr McKenzie says that this is not the case, although his business banking charges have not been reduced.

“I have no intention of wasting time or money on fuel going to either Ayr or Kilmarnock,” he added.

In response the bank say they aim to resolve Mr McKenzie’s complaint as quickly as possible although they are allowed up to 56 days to do so.

Meanwhile, unions representing hundreds of workers made redundant in the wake of branch closures have reacted with dismay at the announcement of the Royal Bank’s profits.

They reported a profit of £792m for the first three months of 2018, which is up from £259m for the same quarter last year.

Mary Alexander, deputy Scottish secretary of Unite said: “Here we have it in the black and white on the RBS balance sheet - RBS is rolling in profits.

“Surely now its time for the bank to call a moratorium on the axe hanging over 62 branches in Scotland. After all this is now a totally different situation profit-wise to when the plans were made to close one in three branches”

At the Scottish Affairs Select Committee hearing in Westminster in January RBS directors told MPs that it would save £9.5m a year after closing the 62 branches.

Ms Alexander added: “RBS now has the chance to prove what its telling people that it is the Royal Bank FOR Scotland. What is the point of closing 62 branches to save next to nothing in the grand scheme of things against profits of three quarters of a billion pounds?”