IRVINESTOWN’S Ulster Bank branch will close its doors for the last time at the end of June next year, it was confirmed yesterday (Wednesday).

Announcing that the local branch will close on June 20, 2018, a spokesperson for Ulster Bank said it had been a “difficult decision”.

It means the next nearest Ulster Bank branch for Irvinestown customers will be Enniskillen.

“We provide our customers with more ways to bank than ever before,” said the Ulster Bank spokesperson, “Customers can choose from a range of digital, face-to-face and local options. Since 2014, the number of customers using branches across the UK has fallen by 40 per cent. During the same period mobile transactions have increased by 73 per cent. We are communicating with our customers affected by the closure and proactively contacting vulnerable customers and regular branch users.

“We have extended the time between announcing our decision and the branch closure to six months; so that we can ensure our customers have enough time to consider the right banking options for them,” the spokesperson added.