Tax office all set to close its doors after first opening in the town in 1978

It opened in the year when Scotland played the World Cup in Argentina back in 1978 but tomorrow (Thursday), HMRC in Cumbernauld will close its doors for good.
HMRC CumbernauldHMRC Cumbernauld
HMRC Cumbernauld

The tax office as it is known as been a reliable source of work on the doorsteps of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth folk for decades but the current workforce has a new place of work in a streamlined 'superhub' in the business district of Glasgow's Argyll Street at Atlantic Square.

HMRC argued that this was more viable financially but controversially opted not to close another site in East Kilbride.

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And that's just not good enough according to those who battled to keep the facility in the town, including members of the Public and Commercial Services U nion and local politicians.

HMRCHMRC
HMRC

All fear that the town centre too will take a direct hit after workers travel into the city centre instead.

Among them was MSP Jamie Hepburn who said: “The loss of Cumbernauld’s tax office is beyond disappointing.

“Despite the fight to save it and the many good reasons to do so the UK Government has ignored the impact closure will have on the area.

"They’ve turned their backs on Cumbernauld.

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“This is a sad moment for the town and a decision that is deeply regretful.

"Many people made their careers at the tax office enabling them to secure good employment locally.”

The site of the sprawling complex itself is to be sold off for a residential development with 160 new homes in total.

For more on this story, see p4.