New home being lined up for Jedburgh bank's coat of arms

The crest in situ at the old Royal Bank of Scotland branch in Jedburgh.

The High Street branch was one of five closed by the bank in the Borders last year amid claims of falling footfall and increased use of online banking.

It was shut in June, and its sister branches at Hawick, Duns and Eyemouth were also axed that month, preceded by Selkirk’s RBS last May and about to be followed by Melrose’s this month.

The crest formerly fitted to the Royal Bank of Scotland in Jedburgh now being lined up to be fixed outside Kelso's RBS.

Their closures were part of a nationwide cull of 60 branches, putting hundreds of staff out of work.

RBS subsequently submitted applications to Scottish Borders Council’s planning department to remove signage and cashpoint machines from the branches shut down, but one historic sign is now in line to make a comeback.

A banking coat of arms dating back to the 19th century took pride of place outside the Jedburgh branch for several decades and could now be about to see the light of day again.

The cast iron sign, measuring 63cm across and 53cm high and saying ‘firm’, is considered to be of historical importance, and RBS wants to put it back up at a surviving bank.

A bid has now been made to the council for the sign to be moved to the RBS branch at the Square in Kelso, to be fixed to the right of its front door.

A spokesperson for planning agent GVA Grimley said: “RBS are keen to retain this sign on an operational branch building and have identified their branch at Kelso as the most suitable site for the coat of arms to be located.

“The sign has been retained from a branch in Jedburgh and was originally produced for the RBS in the 1800s.”

This year and last’s six RBS bank closures across the region followed those of its branches in Chirnside, Greenlaw and Newtown five years ago.

Kelso’s will be one of only three RBS branches left in the Borders after this month, the other survivors being those at Galashiels and Peebles.