Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Axing of branch
“The SNP will be asking an urgent question about this issue at Westminister because the UK government is responsible for banking regulation and is the majority shareholder in RBS.
“The bank was bailed out by the public purse and their community responsibilities have to be taken seriously.”
Coatbridge’s branch of RBS will remain open. The bank says it provides online, phone and video banking options, and will have technical experts the Airdrie branch to assist customers in learning to use them; and says deposits and withdrawals can be made at the Post Office.
The spokesperson added: “We know that not all of our customers are comfortable or familiar with using online or mobile banking
“We have created a new specialist taskforce of ‘ TechXperts’ who will be dedicated to supporting our customers with training and support with digital skills until the Airdrie branch closes.”
Unite deputy Scottish secretary Mary Alexander has written to business minister Paul Wheelhouse requesting an opportunity to meet and “consider what the Scottish government is going to do to convince RBS to change course to avert the social catastrophe that is likely to follow”.
She outlined the “serious effects [the closures] will have for communities, customers and staff” and said: “RBS have suggested that digital banking is the answer to most people’s needs.
“What if you’re elderly or infirm and cannot make the journey [ to another branch]; if you don’t own a car and are dependent on a bank visit to cash welfare benefits?
“Those issues concerning access to cash withdrawal are matched by small business problems with deposits.”
Unite said that the closure programme – affecting a quarter of RBS group’s branches – “will fundamentally change banking in this country”.
The union responded to Friday’s announcement with a statement saying: “How can a taxpayerbacked organisation devastate local communities by disenfranchising them of the ability to bank at their local branch?
“Loyal staff who have helped to rebuild RBS over the past decade will be rewarded with the prospect of an uncertain future and a bleak Christmas.
“RBS needs to answer fundamental questions about what happens to those who cannot or choose not to use computers, tablets and smartphones; the communities abandoned in the rush to slash branch numbers; and the pressure on the staff in the remaining branch network, as customer footfall to the next-closest branch increases.” News of the closure of the Airdrie branch of Royal Bank of Scotland comes at the end of a year which began with the announcement of the closure of Airdrie Savings Bank.
Officials from the UK’s last independent bank announced in January that it would be ceasing operations due to the increasing pressures of the digital era and increased financial regulation.
Airdrie Savings Bank’s branches in Coatbridge and Bellshill went on to close in April, followed by the Airdrie head office in September – after 182 years of banking operations.
Seventy jobs were lost as a result of the closure; the final winding-down processes are now being completed with remaining dormant