Deirdre Brock comments on closure of Leith RBS branch
Deidre Brock MP has commented on the news that the Leith branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland is set to close on October 10.
The closure forms part of a new tranche of network closures from the NatWest group with branches on Nicolson Street and Bruntsfield Place also set for the axe. This will leave only three permanent RBS branches remaining in the city (St Andrew Square, Princes Street and St Johns Road), plus a mobile branch.
In its closure announcement the bank promised “no further review of our Royal Bank of Scotland branch network until at least 2026”.
The Edinburgh North and Leith MP has written to the bank requesting further information about the decision.
Ms Brock said: “I am shocked by the decision from RBS to close their branch in Leith. This is one of the most densely populated parts of Scotland and the closure will greatly disadvantage many small businesses and customers in our community who rely on counter services.
“There are plenty of people who still prefer face to face custom, and many more who still need it. Not everyone uses phone banking and more vulnerable people shouldn’t be expected to travel up to the city centre or head to Musselburgh every time they need to bank.
“It all started for RBS back in 1727, before they became the bank which was ‘too big to fail’ in 2008 and were bailed out from the public purse. Now it’s sad to see more and more branches disappearing from our High Streets. Like all banks, they should have a duty to meet the diverse needs of their customers, not just the dividends of shareholders.
“The promise that they won’t close any more before 2026 doesn’t exactly give confidence of a long term commitment to keep the remaining branch network running.
“Decisions like these taken in corporate boardrooms do untold damage to communities like Leith and if the banks won’t act, perhaps government should to protect the network. Otherwise we are hurtling headlong towards a cashless society and deepening the digital divide – we need to pause and take stock before it’s too late.
“I have written to RBS seeking more details on why they chose to close the Leith branch and what they are doing to protect both customers and staff affected.”
An RBS spokesperson said: “While we are increasingly engaging our customers digitally, our branch network remains important to us.
“We are also significantly investing in refreshing our network – we are investing £10.5m in our network across Scotland, from 2023-24, as well as continuing to invest in shared solutions like the Post Office and banking hubs.
“Our customers appreciate the speed and convenience of digital banking for everyday transactions, and often, when it comes to making bigger, more complex decisions they value speaking to our skilled and experienced colleagues.”
The bank says that more than 97% of its retail accounts are opened over the internet.
24
0
20
