For immediate release:
LOCAL MSP DEMANDS ACTION ON BANK CLOSURES
Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey has called for re-assurances that bank branches will remain open locally, after concerns over the number of banks and building societies which have closed across the country were raised.
A Which? study revealed that seven banks and building societies have shut their doors in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, and almost 400 banks and building societies have closed across Scotland since 2015.
Communities across Scotland are rightly concerned about the impact of the decision to close will have on local businesses, employees, the elderly and vulnerable and all those who need access to banking services.
As we have reported over recent weeks, Cambuslang Community Council have also been working on this issue with local stakeholders.
Commenting, Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey said:
“Bank closures hit local families, damage small businesses, and impact upon tourism here in Rutherglen and Cambuslang.
“More and more of us do our banking on the internet or by phone, but that simply isn’t an option for everyone. A face-to-face banking service is indispensable for many people, and banks must engage with people and businesses on their needs before deciding to close a branch.
“The study by Which?, coupled with the work done by Cambuslang Community Council, shows that more needs to be done – both by industry and by the UK Government.
“It would be a huge loss to Rutherglen and Cambuslang to see any more branches shut their doors – which could leave a significant number of elderly and vulnerable people without the preferred or necessary level of face-to-face service.”
In February, Clare Haughey MSP wrote to Santander regarding their branch on Rutherglen Main Street and they could only confirm that they would not review their branch network for “at least the next two years”.
Ms Haughey added:
“The last remaining banks in my entire constituency are on Rutherglen Main Street and I urge them all to commit their long-term future to the area.”
ENDS
Notes:
The number of bank and building society branch closures in Scotland as collected by Which?:
Please note, the numbers includes information from 20 major brands and does not account for new branches that may have been opened.
By Parliamentary Constituency
| Parliamentary constituency | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | Grand Total |
| Grand Total | 82 | 79 | 130 | 84 | 24 | 399 |
| Edinburgh North and Leith | 5 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 19 |
| Glasgow Central | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 17 |
| Moray | 6 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 15 | |
| Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 14 | |
| North Ayrshire and Arran | 3 | 6 | 3 | 12 | ||
| Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 11 | |
| Lanark and Hamilton East | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11 | |
| Ross, Skye and Lochaber | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 11 | |
| Angus | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| Argyll and Bute | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 10 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 2 | 8 | 10 | |||
| Edinburgh East | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 10 | |
| Stirling | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | ||
| Aberdeen North | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| Linlithgow and East Falkirk | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 9 | |
| Banff and Buchan | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | ||
| Edinburgh South West | 4 | 1 | 3 | 8 | ||
| Edinburgh West | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |
| North East Fife | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 | ||
| Ochil and South Perthshire | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 8 | |
| Paisley and Renfrewshire North | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Perth and North Perthshire | 5 | 3 | 8 | |||
| Aberdeen South | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | ||
| Central Ayrshire | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 | |
| Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale | 1 | 6 | 7 | |||
| Dundee West | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | |
| East Renfrewshire | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | ||
| Edinburgh South | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | ||
| Falkirk | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | |
| Rutherglen and Hamilton West | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 | ||
| West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | 2 | 5 | 7 | |||
| Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||
| Glasgow North | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ||
| Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | ||
| East Dunbartonshire | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | |
| East Lothian | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | ||
| Glasgow North East | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| Glasgow South | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | ||
| Midlothian | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | ||
| Glasgow North West | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| Kilmarnock and Loudoun | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||
| Paisley and Renfrewshire South | 3 | 1 | 4 | |||
| Airdrie and Shotts | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||
| Dundee East | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| Dunfermline and West Fife | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| East Kilbride, Strathaven & Lesmahagow | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| Glasgow South West | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Gordon | 3 | 3 | ||||
| Inverclyde | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| West Dunbartonshire | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||
| Cumbernauld, Kilsyth & Kirkintilloch East | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
| Glenrothes | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Livingston | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Orkney and Shetland | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Glasgow East | 1 | 1 |
Clare Haughey MSP 