The Royal Bank is closing more local branches … Stonehaven, Banchory, Westhill and further afield. So sad. Banking is becoming impersonal – the hole-in-the-wall, the PC/mobile and the call centre. But sometimes you need to see a human being. Now the only option will be to go to Aberdeen (if you can find a branch there).

I’m not surprised – I was gently admonished in a bank branch recently (not the RBS) for not paying bills on line. When I said that she was talking herself and colleagues out of a job, she protested. Well, here is the proof.