Moray SNP News

LOCHHEAD SAYS BANK CLOSURES ARE A 'BITTER BLOW'

Richard Lochhead MSP has responded to the announcement that Bank of Scotland will close its branches in Keith and Lossiemouth.

These closures will leave Bank of Scotland customers in Keith with a 20 mile round trip to Huntly to visit their nearest branch.  It will also see the closure of Lossiemouth’s only bank located in the town and leave people with no branch from any bank.

A report by ‘Which?’ magazine, published last year, indicated that Moray is amongst one of areas worst hit by bank closures in Scotland.

Richard Lochhead MSP said:

“The closure of the Bank of Scotland branches in Keith and Lossiemouth are a bitter blow to customers and small businesses.  It also means that Lossiemouth will have no physical bank branch located in the town at all.

“I have written to the Bank’s Managing Director expressing my dismay and anger at this decision and seeking an immediate meeting over the future of services in the area.

“Banks are deserting Moray’s communities and this is having a real negative impact on the people who rely on them including businesses and vulnerable people.  Personal banking customers are also affected and now face an expensive round trip to their nearest branch.

“Moray has already taken a disproportionate share of rural bank closures.  It’s incumbent on banks to think about their customers who depend on having a branch to visit and not to turn Moray in to a branch free region.”