IT is the end of an era in Cardenden and Lochgelly as two Trustee Savings Bank branches are set to close.

TSB confirmed this month that 17 Scottish branches, including Cardenden and Lochgelly, were expected to shut their doors by the end of June, leaving just two banking facilities to cover 34,000 people in the Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly area.

Customers can now only choose from a Royal Bank of Scotland in Cowdenbeath and a Bank of Scotland branch in Lochgelly to carry out their banking, with Kirkcaldy a viable, but distant option.

David Taylor, secretary of Cardenden Community Council, was disappointed by the decision which he feels will make it very difficult for the elderly.

He said: "A lot of older people can't simply jump on a bus or get a lift in the car. It's going to be tough for them to access a bank now. That's them snookered after at least 50 years of this bank being open.

"The banks keep telling everyone to bank online now, but not everyone has access to do that, and even if they do, it's tough to learn something new when you're older.

"Banks aren't considering the needs of their older customers, and that's very poor customer service."

His frustration is shared by Stevie Murray, secretary of Lochgelly Community Council, who also expressed his concerns that the decision to close the bank, which had been in Lochgelly for more than 40 years, was made without public consultation.

He told the Times: "It is going to have a huge impact on some people's lifestyles. It is going to have an impact on the older population, and that's where the disappointment stems from.

"To my knowledge I'm not aware of any discussion or consultation with the public, and there certainly wasn't any with the community council. I don't think the banks are legally required to, but it would have been nice to have been made aware that this might happen."