Lochs councillors Alex Campbell and Alistair Bain took to the streets alongside unhappy residents to gather signatures in protest at the closures, which would see both the Kelty and Aberdour branches in West Fife shut down due to falling transaction numbers and fewer regular customers.

Cllr Campbell said, “People responded really well. The weather hindered us a bit but we took the petition around Kelty and we have hundreds of names.

“The reaction to the closure is that people are really disappointed, and this is from people of all ages.

“We’ve got the petition in lots of local businesses too, that’s what we’re doing. I’ll be meeting with senior officials from the bank in Kelty on Friday too.” Support for the branches to remain open has been gathering quickly since the announcement and earlier this week Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife, wrote to the chief executive of RBS expressing her disappointment and calling on the bank to reverse its decision.

“I know that there is widespread concern amongst the communities I represent that these closures will have seriously detrimental effects, depriving local residents and businesses of the opportunity to bank locally,” she said.

“I took the opportunity to remind Mr McEwan of a pledge made by RBS in its customer charter which clearly states, ‘Royal Bank of Scotland has promised its branches will not be closed where it runs the only bank left in a town.’ “In both Kelty and Aberdour, RBS is the only bank in town and that safeguard should be applied. Mobile services are not an adequate replacement for a branch that is available every day of the working week.

“I have called on the chief executive of RBS to reconsider these closures in light of both the severe impact closure would have on the ability of local residents to access services and that such a decision would be in opposition to the commitment they have made to be responsive to community concerns.” Meanwhile, Aberdour residents will still be able to access their money from the village’s ATM despite losing the branch.

There were fears that residents wanting cash would have to travel three miles to Dalgety Bay but the bank has made a u-turn on plans to scrap the machine.

RBS confirmed that an agreement had been made with the post office, so that customers could check their balance and deposit and withdraw funds, while business customers could get coinage.

Now RBS has confirmed that after customer feedback, it has decided to keep the ATM in Aberdour.