Bank Closures ripping heart out of communities
Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP, Murdo Fraser, has criticised a raft of new bank closures set to hit Perth and Kinross.
The Royal Bank of Scotland has announced that the following branches will be closing;
- Pitlochry
- Aberfeldy
- Perth, South Street
RBS has cited customers switching to online banking as one of the main reasons for these closures.
The local post office, pub and bank branch were previously the corner stones of the high street but in recent years closures in all three areas have hit people living out with major population centres.
Commenting Murdo Fraser MSP said;
“I fully understand that more banking services are being accessed online and to a lesser extent over the phone, but there is no substitute for having a physical presence on the high street.
“Elderly and vulnerable residents, those most at risk to online and over the phone scams, value the ability to go in branch and speak to an advisor face to face. The loss of this service is highly damaging. This latest round of proposed closures from RBS, will hit small communities particularly hard and I am calling on bank bosses to think again.
“Both Pitlochry and Aberfeldy are busy tourist destinations and closing these branches seems particularly short sighted.
“RBS are not the only culprit when it comes to shutting high street branches, but this current pattern of closures cannot continue as it threatens to rip the heart out of small communities.”