CLOSURES WILL ‘MARGINALISE’ PEOPLE
CAMPAIGNERS say people will be “marginalised” by bank closures after RbS U-turned on just two of 62 branch shutdowns.
The branches in biggar, Lanarkshire, and Castlebay on barra in the Western Isles will not be axed due to reviewers citing “exceptional circumstances”.
However, the closure of eight branches out of the 10 under review has now been confirmed, in addition to 52 BY LAURA PATERSON previously announced. branches in beauly, Tongue, Kyle, Melrose, Inveraray, Comrie, Douglas and Gretna will all shut on dates yet to be determined.
RbS also accepted review recommendations for more action to boost alternative banking facilities for six of the closing branches.
RbS personal banking managing director Simon Watson said: “We know branches are important to many communities but equally we know that fewer and fewer people are using them as more people bank online.”
He said there would be no further branch reviews until at least 2020.
The Unite union, involved in the public and political campaign to save the branches, said the review was “entirely predictable”.
Unite regional officer Lyn Turner said: “Sixty communities out of an original 62 earmarked for closure will now be marginalised by this so-called review.”
SNP Westminster leader Ian blackford, a key campaigner against the closures, vowed to fight on, saying: “Closures will be disastrous for those who rely on a local bank branch for personal banking or for their small business.”