Forty post offices in Scotland are to close in the latest round of cuts, it was announced today.

The proposed closures are part of UK-wide cutbacks and will affect the North East, Tayside and Fife, Post Office Ltd said.

Closures are due to begin in September, reducing the number of branches in the area to 374.

The threatened post office at Glamis in Angus, which has royal links, has been saved from the axe following a local campaign.

The branch lies close to Glamis Castle, where the Queen Mother spent her childhood.

She was a familiar face in the village and Princess Margaret's birth was registered at the post office.

But branches in other villages and small towns will shut, from Buckpool and Forres in Moray to Lower Largo in Fife.

Post offices in cities and larger towns are also affected, with branches in Aberdeen, Dundee and Perth on the closure list.

Two further branches, Lunanhead in Angus and Bieldside in Aberdeen have been earmarked for closure, and a six-week consultation on whether they should shut will begin on August 12.

However, 35 outreach services will be introduced across the area, many based in their existing premises.

These will include hosted services operated within third-party premises for restricted hours each week, and mobile post offices visiting the area.

Consultation on a proposal to introduce a hosted service at Auchenblae in Aberdeenshire will begin next month.

The company also plans to introduce three service points in areas where they do not meet the access criteria set down by the Government.

The latest decisions come after a six-week public consultation, during which the company attended 90 public meetings and received 4,300 responses.

Post Office Ltd could not give an estimate of how many jobs might be lost, saying that some former sub-postmasters will continue in the same premises.

Sub-postmasters will be given compensation for closure, which they can use to pay any staff they employ.

Post Office Ltd stressed that under the proposals, 99.9% of the area's population will either see no change to their nearest branch, or will remain within one mile of an alternative branch.

Sally Buchanan, Post Office Ltd's network development manager for Scotland, said: "These are difficult decisions which have not been taken lightly.

"We have considered very carefully all the comments made during the public consultation.

"We believe that the amended plan announced today offers our customers across North East, Tayside and Fife the best prospect for a sustainable network in the future, bearing in mind the UK Government's minimum access criteria and the other factors it has asked us to consider."

Jim McGovern, Labour MP for Dundee West, said: "I have talked to a number of sub-postmasters and their customers and sympathise with them entirely, however, unfortunately, the future of the Post Office relies on this programme of closures.

"Regrettably the facts are plain to see; £3.5 million of public money is subsidising post offices every week and the Post Office network has lost over four million customers a week in the past few years."

The following 40 Post Office branches will now close as part of the North East, Tayside and Fife Area Plan:

Aberdeen North

Mount Street

Aberdeen South

Mannofield, 535 Great Western Road

Nigg, Wellington Road, Aberdeen

Angus

Dundee Road, Forfar

Kilry, Kirriemuir

Southmuir, Kirriemuir

Banff and Buchan

Blacklaw, Aberchirder

Broadsea, High Street, Fraserburgh

Longhaven, Peterhead

Dundee East

Ferry Road, Dundee

Monikie, Broughty Ferry, Dundee

Dundee West

Lochee Road, Dundee

Nethergate, Dundee

Fairmuir, Dundee

Dunfermline and West Fife

Dalbeath Crescent, Cowdenbeath

Halbeath, Main Street, Halbeath

Torryburn, 64 Main Street, Torrybyrn

Transy, 103 Appin Crescent, Dunfermline

Hillend, 37 Main Street, Hillend, Dunfermline

Glenrothes

Denbeath, 552 Wellesley Road, Leven

Dundonald Park, Cardenden,Lochgelly

Kingdom Centre, 24 North Street, Glenrothes

Gordon

Montgarrie, Alford

Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath

Glencraig, Crosshill, Lochgelly

Keltyhill, Blackhall Sq, Kelty

Pathhead, Commercial St, Kirkcaldy

Moray

Buckpool, 11 St Andrews Square, Buckpool

Fife Keith, 14 Regent Street, Keith

East End, 20 High Street, Forres

East End, Pansport Road, Elgin

North East Fife

Lower Largo, 1 Main Street, Lower Largo

Newton Of Falkland., Newton Cottage, Cupar

Scoonie Road, 1 Bramble Bank, Leven

Westport,Cupar

Ochil and South Perthshire

Fairyburn, Alloa

Perth and North Perthshire

Bridgend, 1/3 Main Street, Bridgend, Perth

Cherrybank, 186 Glasgow Road, Perth

Garth Avenue, Perth

Kinrossie, Mercat Green, Kinrossie, Perth

West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

Glassel, Banchory

The following 36 branches will be replaced by an outreach solution, precise details of hours and days will be announced as soon as possible

Carmyllie Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for two hours per week from Milton Haugh Farm Shop.

Inverkeilor - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for six hours per week from the Church Hall.

Auchnagatt - a Hosted Outreach service, which will be offered for two hours each week from the Emporium.

Cornhill - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for two hours per week from the same location as Post Office Cornhill branch.

Crimond - Partner Outreach service, which will be available for seventy nine and a half hours per week from the same location as Post Office Crimond branch.

Cuminestown - Partner Outreach service, which will be available for sixty six and a half hours per week from the same location as Post Office Cuminestown branch.

Gardenstown - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for seven hours per week from Edgehill stores.

Longside - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for six hours per week from the same location as Post Office Longside branch.

Methlick - Partner Outreach service, which will be available for seventy hours per week from French and Son.

New Aberdour - Hosted Outreach service, which will offered for three hours each week from the Parish Hall.

New Pitsligo - Partner Outreach service, which will be available for eighty seven hours per week from the same location as Post Office New Pitsligo branch.

Rothie Norman - Partner Outreach service, which will be available for seventy and a half hours per week from the Costcutters store.

St Fergus - Hosted Outreach service, which will offered for six hours per week from the current location of Post Office St Fergus branch.

Stuartfield - Hosted Outreach service, which will offered for eight hours per week from the current location of Post Office Stuartfield branch.

Wellbank - Hosted Outreach service, which will offered for eight hours per week from the current location of Post Office Wellbank branch.

Collieston - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for three hours per week from the same location as Post Office Collieston branch.

Kennethmont - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for three hours per week from the Hamilton Hall.

Lumsden - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for six hours per week and will operate from the Lumsden Shop.

Rhynie - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for eight hours per week and will operate from the same location as Post Office Rhynie branch.

Rothiemay - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for five hours per week and will operate from the same location as Post Office Rothiemay branch.

Guardbridge - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for four hours per week from the same location as Post Office Guardbridge branch.

Abernethy - Mobile Outreach service, which will be offered for eight hours each week from the parking area of the War Memorial on Main Street.

Blackford - a Partner Outreach service, which will be available for sixty one hours per week from the same location as Post Office Blackford branch.

Braco - Partner Outreach service, which will be available for eighty seven and a half hours per week from the Braco Store.

Crook of Devon - The proposal for a Mobile service has been withdrawn and a Partner service will be introduced in the same location as the Crook of Devon PO. Further details will be announced as soon as possible.

Glenfarg - Mobile Outreach service, which will be available for five hours per week. Post Office Ltd will review the parking location with the community to help identify a suitable location.

Kinnesswood - Mobile Outreach service, which will be available for five hours per week. Post Office Limited will review the parking location with the community to help identify a suitable location.

Muckhart - Mobile Outreach service, which will be available for two hours per week from the parking area at Coronation Hall.

Muthill Crieff - Partner Outreach service, which will be available for fifty six hours per week from the same location as Post Office Muthill Crieff branch.

Balbeggie Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for seven hours per weeks and will operate from the existing premises as the Post Office Balbeggie branch.

Glencarse - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for seven hours per week from St Madoes Village store.

Finzean - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for three hours per weeks and will operate from the same location as the Post Office Finzean branch.

Johnshaven - Hosted Outreach service, which will offered for nine hours each week from the existing premises of Post Office Johnshaven branch.

Lumphanan - Hosted Outreach service, which will be available for six hours per week and will operate from the same location as the Post Office Lumphanan branch.

Strachan - Hosted Outreach service, which will offered for two hours each week from the same location at Post Office Strachan branch.

The following branches will now remain open:

Cairnie Street, Arbroath

Glamis, Angus

Middlefield, Aberdeen

The following branch is subject to further consultation:

Auchenblae, Aberdeenshire - The proposal for a partner service has been withdrawn and Post Office Limited will hold a six week consultation into a new proposal for a Hosted service.