Independent reviewer due to decide fate of ten RBS branches still not in place

Paris Gourtsoyannis

The chief executive of RBS has promised to respect the judgment of an independent reviewer who will examine the viability of ten branches given a reprieve from closure, but admitted that the role had yet to be filled.

Ross Mcewan said the bank would respect the decision of the independent review, telling MPS: “My view is if they come back and say all ten should stay open, we will leave all ten open.”

But with weeks to go until the review is supposed to get under way, no organisation has been appointed to carry out the work. The study is expected to run from June until August. A decision on the ten branches will be made by the end of the year, Mr Mcewan confirmed. Scottish affairs committee convener Pete Wishart told RBS executives: “I suggest you’d better get a move on.”

Mr Mcewan denied the branches were being “set up to fail” when challenged over their opening hours. Labour MP Ged Killen said one of the ten branches at Inverary was only open between 10am and 4pm on weekdays, with a break for lunch. Labour MP Hugh Gaffney claimed one company had been approached about the work but was “unable to do it now”.

RBS personal and business banking chief Les Matheson told the committee: “That isn’t something that I’d like to comment on.”

Where former bank branches are owned by RBS, the company has committed to work with local communities to transfer ownership to them for free if there is no commercial demand for the property, and where a viable three-year business plan is produced.

The bank says it will also donate branch furniture and other equipment to local organisations for free if suitable.

RBS has committed to not remove ATMS if there is no other free-to-use cash machine within one kilometre of a closing branch, and will review the opening hours of its remaining branches to ensure they meet any increased demand from customers.