News that the RBS is closing its Ormskirk branch will have come as no surprise to many - apart from one local bar owner that is!

His exchange with QLocal's Roger Blaxall went like this yesterday morning...

RB: "That's bad news they're closing RBS isn't?"

AC: "No they're not!"

"Yes they are!"

"They're not!"

"They are, Radio Lancashire reported on a list of the closures in the county and Ormskirk is one of them."

"Oh no! That's put me in the S H One T!"

The good news is that staff don't think there'll be an redundancies and that AC can still carry on banking at either Burscough or Maghull.

This from the RBS PR office: 'We have recently announced that we’re closing some branches in England & Wales.

Closing a branch is a decision we take very seriously. We know it can affect people in the local area and we’ll always work hard to guide you through the changes and find the best way to serve you.

The world of banking has changed a lot lately and the changes show no sign of slowing down. These are some of the things we’re experiencing that mean we can’t offer the same number of branches as we have in the past:

• More people are doing their day-to-day banking online, by mobile app, or over the phone

• More people are even doing bigger things that way, like opening a business account or getting a loan

• Fewer people visit branches and do fewer transactions when they’re there

• People often use a branch that is more convenient to them, and not one branch consistently

• People contact us in a variety of ways and today very few people only do their banking in a branch'

What the betting it''ll be another bar or restaurant - or turned into student accommodation.

Don't bank on it!

I believe the reason this branch is closing is because there is also a Nat West branch in the town. Customers will be able to use this branch rather than have to travel to do their banking. Sad for the staff who are always very pleasant and helpful.