UNITE has branded bankers’ plans to slash 250 jobs and close another 36 more branches at TSB bank a “grave mistake.”

The decision to cut more than one in six of its branches comes on top of the 10 closed last year, and forms part of a £29 million cost-cutting “spend to save” programme at the bank.

Twenty-seven locations across Britain — ranging from Lerwick to Torquay, Carmarthen to Cardonald — have been earmarked for closure by September this year, with nine more to follow by May 2025, leaving just 175 branches, six new “pop-up” facilities, and two “pods” to assist customers.

Unite called on TSB chiefs to “urgently reconsider” the move, which will not only cost jobs in closing branches, but in anti-fraud and central operations at the bank.

The union’s regional officer Andy Case said: “The decision by TSB to cut 250 roles is a grave mistake.

“These workers perform essential work in the fraud departments and across the branch network.

“Through extensive negotiations, Unite has been able to substantially reduce the number of jobs at risk.

“However, that isn’t sufficient: the union is pressing TSB to urgently reconsider its damaging bank branch closures plan.

“At a time when customers are increasingly concerned about financial fraud and often need support from a local bank branch, this is the wrong course of action.

“TSB customers will rightly be concerned by today’s news and they will undoubtedly suffer a downgrade in service from these job cuts.

“Unite will hold fresh negotiations with TSB about ways of further reducing job losses and it will be fully supporting its members affected by the announcement.”

A spokesman for TSB said “the decision to close a branch is never taken lightly,” adding: “We remain committed to a national branch network.”