Residents urged to make opposition to bank closures felt

MSP Joan McAlpine has urged Gretna and Melrose residents to make their opposition to the closure of the towns RBS branches known – as the independent reviewer who will decide their fate was revealed.

 

Johnston Carmichael accountants have been appointed by RBS to carry out an independent review into ten branches earmarked for closure.

 

The bank has committed to implementing Johnston Carmichael’s recommendations in full.

 

Ms McAlpine – who has been a vocal opponent of branch closures throughout the region – commented:

 

“I will now write to Johnston Carmichael making it very clear why the branches must be retained. For example – if the Gretna branch closes, there will be no other Royal Bank branch within a nine mile radius and that is totally unacceptable.

“The strength of feeling against the closure within the local community is huge. SNP campaigners collected hundreds of signatures for a petition back in March when news of the closures across first broke.

“Sustained pressure from campaigners and SNP MSPs and MPs won an initial reprieve for these branches – and we will keep up the pressure now – however It is bitterly disappointing that the Secretary of State for Scotland is not lobbying RBS to do away with these bank closures completely.

“We are awaiting more detail about how local people can feed into the review – in the mean time I would urge anyone opposed to the branch closure to contact my office and make those views known.”