MAJOR changes are being introduced to banking in Cumnock as TSB announced it will slash opening hours.

The Townhead branch will cut their opening hours to a three-day week as they encourage more customers to use their online services.

The changes will come into effect from the end of July with doors only being open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9.30am-4.30pm.

It comes as the banking giant slashes opening hours across 70 different branches.

The reduction in hours is expected to be a blow to the area which have seen the closure of several banks over the years.

The Royal Bank of Scotland shut down branches in Cumnock and Mauchline forcing customers to travel to Ayr or Kilmarnock for their nearest bank.

The bank says the decision comes as the banking world is changing rapidly, with people relying more and more on technology in all aspects of their life.

But a recent report suggested residents and businesses in towns without any banks face “substantial financial hardship”.

The study was carried out by Cambuslang Community Council after three bank branches closed within 18 months of each other in the South Lanarkshire town.

The report noted the decisions were in part due to a fall in the number of bank transactions and an increase in the use of mobile and online banking.

A TSB spokesperson said: “Customers are changing the way they interact with us and over the past few years we have seen the usage of branches continue to fall, with many customers increasingly using alternative TSB branches, online, mobile or telephone banking to access TSB banking services.

“These changes mean we are reducing the opening hours of around 70 branches.”