East Kilbride’s RBS branch has been given an extended reprieve as three other Lanarkshire branches get set to close tomorrow (October 1).
Royal Bank of Scotland has confirmed East Kilbride will remain open “for a little longer” to support its customers in locations where branches are due to close later this year.
The local branch was previously granted a reprieve amidst ongoing scrutiny.
Lanarkshire Live told how Royal Bank of Scotland are to shut one in five of its branches – including four in Lanarkshire amid declining in-person use by customers.
Between 2019 and 2024, counter transactions at the East Kilbride branch had decreased by 68 per cent.
Despite local efforts to save the under-threat EK branch, including a petition by a local pensioner voicing concerns of the elderly and discussions with MSP Collette Stevenson and Council Leader Joe Fagan, NatWest confirmed their decision to shut up shop is final.
However in light of new legislation to further protect free access to cash in its communities, NatWest said this week it is “working with the FCA and industry to provide further detail on cash services available in your constituency, and to ensure we are supporting customers in locations where our branches are due to close later this year”.
As a result, the Royal Bank of Scotland East Kilbride branch will remain open for longer until this work is concluded. This means that the branch will no longer close on Tuesday, October 1.
Customers are being notified of this change, and will still be able to use the branch during its usual opening hours until further notice.
Customers can also make use of banking services at any Post Office. The nearest RBS branch is six miles away in Giffnock.
East Kilbride has suffered the loss of banking services throughout the town centre with local Clydesdale Bank and Barclays branches also shutting up shop in the last two years.
And now, with the rise of digital services, Bank of Scotland in nearby Strathaven is also set to close on December 3.
Councillor Joe Fagan, Leader of South Lanarkshire Council, believes a town BankHub is the way forward.
He said: “Online banking is here to stay, and I accept it is now the normal, but we still need access to basic banking services for local customers and businesses. That’s why I think there’s a role for the Post Office to work with banks to ensure there is better access to basic services and a case for a BankHub in East Kilbride.
“The loss of town centre banks isn’t just an access to cash issue – there can be alternatives to that – but an issue with access to face to face customer service to discuss sensitive, potentially significant, financial decisions. Even at this late stage, I would urge RBS to reflect on their position.”
East Kilbride MP Joani Reid agreed, saying:“My position is clear that full banking services from RBS are still required. But if that is not possible, I would support the creation of a banking hub to maintain services, an approach that we have seen delivered in other parts of Lanarkshire and that is the minimum that I would expect to see for East Kilbride.
“I remain concerned but hopeful that RBS will listen to strong local opinion about the adverse local impact on the community and local business of their plans to close their East Kilbride branch.”
Central Scotland Tory MSP Graham Simpson described the loss of bank branches throughout the country as a “serious issue”, saying: “There are times where people and businesses need to go into their local branch. Not everyone can do or wants to do digital banking and they shouldn’t have to.
“It is good that there is a stay of execution for the EK branch and I hope that it can be saved permanently.”
Despite hopes outlets might remain operational while the effects of new financial regulations were assessed, RBS management has resolved to shut them down, with future closure dates yet to be announced.
This development occurs in the wake of fresh guidelines from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which require banks to more thoroughly consider the cash needs of local communities before closing branches.
The NatWest Group, owner of RBS, had indicated that due to the new rules, it was collaborating with the FCA to “ensure we are supporting customers in locations where our branches are due to close later this year”.
When RBS were queried about the possibility of the branches staying open, a spokesperson stated: “We’re fully compliant with our regulatory obligations around closures.
“We’re taking the opportunity to further review the detail on cash services available to customers following the closure of some branches that we’ve scheduled to close in the coming months. Following the conclusion of these additional processes, the branches will close.”
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