NatWest, owned by RBS, is the part of the group which has hit the headlines this time after painting a picture of dedication to its customers, which some disgruntled customers have complained is not correct.

 NatWest launched an advertising campaign claiming to be dedicated to serving the local community, especially where other banks were no longer present. In one of the adverts, one member of the NatWest staff is seen saying to another that they would ensure they carried on providing banking services to the public 'wherever we're the last bank in town'. This exchange takes place on a deserted coastal road.

However, at the same time as this campaign was running on national TV, a Yorkshire branch of NatWest in Farlsey was being prepared for closure. This branch was indeed the last bank in the town and customers felt that the decision to shut it down was a direct contradiction of the customer charter NatWest openly displayed.

The Advertising Standards Authority was asked to consider the case after several complaints were received and judged that the bank had misled the public.

NatWest has not accepted the claims and insists that the adverts were not meant to be taken literally. It said it was actually only pledging to continue to provide 'banking services', rather than promising to keep premises open. But the watchdog upheld its decision and said that this was not the impression that customers were given in the adverts. It has ordered the bank to change the claims it is making.

The Campaign for Community Banking Services was one of the groups that complained about the false claims being made and it welcomed the decision by the ASA