MP’s concern as two more sites to close

RBS branches in Bridge of Allan and Dunblane will also close their doors next year, it has been announced.

The bank announced that they would be closing 62 branches across the country – with three in the Stirling area affected.

The Bridge of Allan branch on Henderson Street will shut for business on June 11 while the Dunblane High Street bank will close down on May 20.

Stirling MP Stephen Kerr says he is worried about the impact the closures will have on staff, customers and communities.

He said:“I am very concerned by these announcements.The Scottish Conservative MPs in Westminster are tabling an urgent question about this.

“There is the impact on the staff as well as the communities and customers served. There appears to be a headlong rush by banks to diminish their presence on our high streets and I question the long term wisdom of that thinking.”

News of the RBS closures came just days after the Bank of Scotland announced they were closing four branches in the Stirling area, one of which is in Bridge of Allan – leaving the area without a recognised bank.

AlasdairTollemache, councillor for Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, wants both banks to reconsider their plans.

He said:“The UK government bailed out the banks following their mismanagement and now we see local branches closing in Dunblane and Bridge of Allan, as well as elsewhere. This will badly affect those where digital banking is not an option and will leave folk having to travel.

“It is also important that small businesses have local banking support. The banks should be serving our communities not abandoning them. I call upon RBS and the Bank of Scotland to reconsider their recent decisions.”

A spokesperson from Bridge of Allan Community Council added:“Despite a greater trend of folks using online banking, local bank branches is the only way many of the community carry out their banking so to have no available banking in the village will have a huge impact on some. It’ll also impact on how many small businesses operate.”

Unite Scotland have described the closure announcement as“savage”.

A spokesperson said: “The news by RBS is totally shocking and represents a change in how the banking sector conducts its affairs. The sheer scale of this latest round of branch closures is savage. How can a UK taxpayer backed organisation devastate local communities by disenfranchising them of the ability to bank at their local branch?

“Once again loyal staff, that have helped to rebuild RBS over the last decade, will be rewarded with the prospect of an uncertain future and a bleak Christmas.”

An RBS spokesperson said:“More and more of our customers are choosing to do their everyday banking online or on mobile. Since 2014 the number of customers using our branches across the UK has fallen by 40 per cent and mobile transactions have increased by 73 per cent over the same period. Over 5 million customers now use our mobile banking app and one in five only bank with us digitally.

They added:“We expect these branch closures to result in around 680 redundancies. We realise this is difficult news for our colleagues and we are doing everything we can to support those affected.

“We will ensure compulsory redundancies are kept to an absolute minimum.

“We are committed to ensuring our customers and communities are able to continue accessing quality banking services.

“We are writing to customers of affected branches to highlight the alternative ways to bank in their area. Our new community banker provides customers with personal assistance and support to access our non-cash services, as well as help with achieving their financial plans and goals – replicating many of the services available in our branches.

“Our community bankers will get to know local communities, engage with local groups and provide training and education on issues such as fraud and scams protection in their local area.”