Cumbernauld Village bank will close within months

The historic branch of Royal Bank of Scotland in Cumbernauld Village will be a distant memory by August after it emerged that it would be one of 12 Scottish branches to close as a cost-cutting measure.

A RBS spokesperson confirmed:” We have taken the difficult decision to close the branch on the 20 August 2015. We are working hard to ensure there are a number of alternative ways for people in the area to continue to bank with us.

“We have reached an agreement with the local Post Office, which is 0.14 miles away from the branch so that our customers can check their balance, deposit and withdraw funds, and business customers can get coinage. There are four Post Offices within three miles of the branch.There are also five free to use ATMs within one mile of the branch. Our nearest branch, RBS Cumbernauld Tay Walk, is 1.4 miles away,’’ she said.

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“We’re closing this branch because the number of transactions taking place at RBS Cumbernauld Village branch has dropped by 29% since 2011 and only 63 customers use the branch on a regular weekly basis. 47 of these customers already use other branches in the area,’’ she added.

Already the move has attracted criticism from the Unite union amidst claims that customers living at a remove from town centre facilities are being forgotten.

Deputy Scottish Secretary Mary Alexander said: “This makes a mockery of the RBS motto ‘’making everyday banking easy’’ and show a a clear abandonment of their customer charter commitment to maintain ‘’the last bank in town.’’

“It is bad news for small communities and local businesses that depend on local banking services,’’ she added.