MOFFAT could get its own cash hub to lessen the impact of the closure of the town’s only bank.
It was announced last month that Moffat’s Bank of Scotland branch would be closing in November due to an increase in online banking.
Following the announcement LINK, the body which manages the UK’s ATM network, carried out an assessment of cash access in Moffat and recommended improvements to the town’s post office including: a free cash deposit service for personal current accounts; a cash deposit service for businesses; a free cash withdrawal service for personal current accounts; and a cash withdrawal service for businesses.
The report stated that the new services are expected to be ‘ready within three months of us sharing this assessment’.
But some residents were sceptical about the proposed changes as Moffat and District Community Council (MDCC) secretary Mick Barker this week stressed, saying: “The conditions they have listed are not currently in place at the post office, and in order to put them into effect the post office would have to, out of the goodness of its nature, decide to increase costs and disruption.
“We have gone back to LINK asking them to review what they’ve told us because none of what you recommend is, or has been, arranged to be put in place, and they’ve come back and said they don’t plan to revisit their assessment.”
However it was revealed at Tuesday’s meeting of MDCC that Cash Access UK, a not-for-profit company funded by major high street banks, has been scoping out the town for its own cash hub.
Giving more details, Annandale North ward officer Scott McMeeken said: “LINK have said that they won’t reassess Moffat, but someone else within LINK has instructed Cash Access UK to explore setting up a cash hub in Moffat. And it’s got to the point where an individual from Cash Access UK was in Moffat earlier this week assessing locations.
“A cash hub is a staffed provision in a space, staffed Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm. It clearly wouldn’t replace an actual bank but it would improves access to cash: so cash in, cash out, deposits, withdrawals and staff there to answer questions during working hours.
“So as far as I’m concerned and I’ve gone back and clarified this with the officer that was in the town this week, Cash Access UK are assessing Moffat in order to set up a cash hub this year.
“We’re being positive that a cash hub will be set up in Moffat pending their assessment.”
