The permanent new Crieff Banking Hub is now officially open for business.
Strathearn ward councillor Stewart Donaldson cut the ribbon outside the High Street financial facility during a ceremony on Friday last week (September 27).
A hub was previously housed within the Crieff Connexions base in Church Street for a temporary period and the project was recommended for the town by LINK, the UK’s cash access and ATM network, following confirmation of the closure of the town’s last physical bank branch.
SNP elected member Cllr Donaldson said: “I was pleased to be able open the new Crieff Banking Hub. Based at 17 High Street, it is at the very heart of the local community.
“Clearly it is sad that so many branches of the major banks have closed. Indeed, just across the High Street is where my father was manager of the old British Linen Bank, and the bank house where I lived for nearly 10 years.
“However, that was then, and this is now – and, indeed, we must look to the future.”
Cllr Donaldson continued: “The new-style banking hubs offer a wide variety of services. To revitalise town centres and provide support to local businesses, they are absolutely vital.
“For many local residents, especially those who are less mobile and perhaps elderly, they are an essential service.
“It will also give access on a regular basis to five of the major banks.”
Cllr Donaldson went on to add: “I very much hope that Crieff can lead the way in Perth and Kinross.
“We know that there will be a Hub in Auchterarder. I do hope that the same can be achieved for the Kinross area and, perhaps later, for communities in Highland Perthshire.
“For now, though, I would like to thank all those who have worked so hard to bring this new hub about.
“In particular, I’d like to thank David McCann and Crieff Connexions – who hosted the hub earlier before this permanent one was ready.
“Thank you also to Marlene Wood and Fiona Graham, who will be running the Hub five days a week.“
The hubs offer a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of most major banks can carry out regular cash transactions.
They can also offer a community banker service, where people who hold accounts with several major financial institutions can talk to representatives of their own bank about more complicated issues.
Gareth Oakley, CEO of Cash Access UK: “We’re pleased to open the banking hub in Crieff at its permanent home on the High Street.
“We’re very grateful to Crieff Connexions, who gave us the space for a temporary hub while we carried out the necessary work on the permanent location. Cash and banking are very important for millions of people and we’re pleased to be helping many communities with new services on their High Street.”
Situated within the town’s former SemiChem premises, the new Crieff hub is the 12th one of its kind to open in Scotland.
Cash Access UK, which is funded by nine of the UK and Ireland’s largest banks, has said a total of 11 more are in the immediate pipeline.
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