A SECOND Otley bank is to close this year.

NatWest has announced it intends to shut its Manor Square branch on October 2.

The news comes less than two months after TSB confirmed its offices, also on Manor Square, would be closing in June.

NatWest, echoing the reasons given by TSB, says it has taken the 'difficult' decision due to the changing way people are choosing to bank - with its customers increasingly banking online.

Otley's MP Greg Mulholland however (Lib Dem, Leeds North West) is urging the company - which has also announced that is Adel branch will close in September - to think again.

Mr Mulholland has written to the Chief Executive of NatWest's owners RBS, Ross McEwan, asking him to reconsider.

He said: "The continued closures of local branches by banks is of huge concern, particularly in Otley where NatWest have now followed the lead of TSB and HSBC, leaving the people of the town with even less choice.

"NatWest was already the only bank branch in Adel, and its closure will be a huge loss for the community.

"The continued reasoning that banking habits are changing, whilst true for some people, is entirely false for many - especially elderly and disabled customers.

"I would therefore ask that NatWest seriously reconsider these closures, taking into account the needs of local residents, and I would urge them to keep these valuable local resources open."

A statement issued by NatWest said: "The way people choose to bank with us has changed radically over the last few years.

"Between 2010 and 2015, mobile and online transactions have increased by more than 400 per cent and mobile transactions alone have increased by 1,350 per cent.

"Since 2011 we have seen the number of transactions in the Otley branch decline by 23 per cent.

"These customers are actively choosing to bank in different ways, with 60.7 per cent choosing to use our digital banking options.

"We are communicating with our customers affected by the closure and proactively contacting vulnerable and regular branch customers.

"We have listened closely to feedback from local communities and have extended the time between announcing our decision and the branch closure to six months.

"This has been done in order to ensure our customers have time to consider the right banking options for them."

The bank added that it understood that not everyone was comfortable with, or experienced in, online banking and that it has created a dedicated taskforce to help train and support customers in digital skills.

One such 'TechXpert' will be available at each NatWest branch, including Otley, from April.

The closure will leave NatWest customers who need to do face-to-face business having to travel to Ilkley where the nearest alternative branch is.

Yeadon's NatWest branch closed in December, 2015.