Residents blast bank over closure Customers say shutdown will hit old and disabled
21.11.2018 Customers have blasted plans to axe their bank branch.
Bank of Scotland announced the closure of the Paisley South office early next year.
Critics insist the decision will impact on elderly and disabled visitors who are unable to use online services.
Paisley MSP George Adam is leading calls for a rethink and has written to bank bosses. He said: “It’s frankly outrageous that banking officials believe they can up sticks and leave behind the communities they are supposed to serve so callously.
“A face- to- face banking service is indispensable for many of our constituents.
“The threat of closure to branches across the country will come as a shock to many but we are determined to fight to keep every one of them open.
“It is time for the bank to go back to the drawing board and think again about their intention to close more vital branches.”
The Neilston Road office is due to close in February.
Bosses say custom has tailed off by 10 per cent since the turn of the decade.
Almost a quarter of visitors to the office are aged at least 65.
Bank of Scotland revealed plans earlier this month to close branches in Paisley, Burnside, Dundee, Glasgow, Keith, Kirriemuir, Lossiemouth and Stonehouse.
George has teamed up with six MSPs across the country to demand they stay open.
Families took to social media after the Express revealed the closure.
Aileen Miller insisted the plan was “totally ridiculous”.
She added: “The remaining Central Branch in Paisley is hopeless for access.
“If you are lucky enough to get parked in the centre of town, elderly people will have to climb up steep hills to get there.
“It is surrounded by pedestrian only roads – really handy.”
Kathy Boyd fears for the future of workers when the office is shut.
She said: “I love this branch and the people who work in it. “The staff only were told days ago. “They are totally shocked – shame on you BoS.”
Robert Sharp also raised fears over lack of access at the nearest branch.
He said: “I had a bank representative try, only a week ago, to get me to use their automated pay-in service.
“I said no, I’ll use a bank teller to pay in, as all the machines will do is do away with the jobs.
“Her words were that this will never happen. “Well, well. “Now they close the branch, where you can park and access with ease, leaving Paisley only a split-level branch, with poor disability access.”
Renfrewshire has lost more than half of its banks in just eight years.
Office numbers have plummeted almost 60 per cent since the turn of the decade.
Branch closures mean there are only 15 remaining centres across the district. There were 35 in 2010. Bank of Scotland insist it made the decision “following a careful review”.
It says declining footfall and a move to digital banking forced the move to close the branch.