Community Council bank on a rethink over branch closure
Campbeltown Community Council has sent a strongly worded letter to Bank of Scotland asking its owners, Lloyds Banking Group, to consider its customers and remove the town’s branch from its closure plans.
Written by convener Valerie Nimmo on behalf of the community council, the letter is a response to the announcement that the group plans to close 190 branches – including 15 Bank of Scotland branches – between this year and next.
"We believe that the Bank of Scotland is far more interested in making profits for its shareholders than serving the community, particularly rural communities," she wrote.
The Campbeltown Longrow South branch is marked for closure on October 29 leaving just one single bank (Virgin Money, formerly the Clydesdale Bank, on Longrow) in the town.
Having read the branch review, the community council highlighted several problems in its communication.
"The nearest branch remaining open is Lochgilphead, but did anyone consider that it is 52 miles away, involving over 100 miles round trip.
"The document states that there is public transport between the closing branch and the nearest branch, with a service at least every hour.
"This is not the case. At a time when we are being urged to reduce our carbon footprint, the idea that customers of the Bank of Scotland should, from now on, travel over a 100 miles for ordinary banking business is a clear breach of emerging government policy on climate change.
"It is inappropriate for a major institution like a bank to be suggesting that the public should ignore government guidelines on global warming for the bank to make more profits from customer inconvenience."
The letter also argues that the group’s understanding of the alternative ways to bank in the area, citing the use of the local post office, is not feasible.
"For small businesses wanting access to cash or to deposit cheques this is not a realistic option. The post office in Campbeltown is already overwhelmed and waits for attention can be up to an hour," it states.
"In addition, depositing cash or cheques through the post office takes much longer to get to the destination account, sometimes up to a week.
"I understand that people are using online banking, but no account has been taken of the poor connectivity in this rural area and no thought has been given to those who are unable through age or disability to use online services.
"Moreover, it is these vulnerable people in our society who will become subject to scams.
"Campbeltown, like many rural areas, is suffering from depopulation, but our local businesses have been working tremendously hard to reverse this, with the opening of three new distilleries and a proposed golf hotel holiday complex, which is in the final stages of planning.
"These businesses will generate smaller businesses which, in turn, will need local access to banking facilities. A once-a-month community banking hub will be insufficient for their needs."
In conclusion the letter stressed that Campbeltown Community Council was disappointed that the decision had been made without reference to the community.
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