JOBS THREAT . . . four jobs are under threat with plans to close the Royal Bank of Scotland branch on Whitesands, Dumfries, in October
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) have decided to close the Dumfries Whitesands branch, followed by a branch in Kirkcudbright and one in Maybole, South Ayrshire.
A statement from RBS said: “We have taken the difficult decision to close the RBS Dumfries Whitesands branch on October 29 2015.”
The decision comes as RBS note that the number of transactions taking place at Dumfries Whitesands branch have dropped by 22 per cent since 2011.
An RBS spokeswoman said: “There are four staff who work in the branch but I can’t comment on individual circumstances as we are consulting with staff on their options.
“However, we do always aim to redeploy staff to nearby branches where possible and to keep compulsory redundancies to a minimum.”
SNP MP for Dumfries & Galloway Richard Arkless and South of Scotland MSP Aileen McLeod have reacted with dismay to the announcement, affecting the Dumfries and Kircudbright branches — noting it follows the closure of the Dalbeattie, Glenluce and Whithorn branches last September.
Mr Arkless said: “While the closure of the Whitesands branch still leaves a high street service in Dumfries, I am concerned about the future of a large, prominent building right in the middle of the Whitesands. The last thing Dumfries needs is another prominent empty property.”
He added: “The marketing and disposal of that building will need to be handled properly and I’ll be pressing for RBS operations continue there until a buyer is found.”
RBS say they are are ‘working hard to ensure there are a number of alternative ways for people in the area to continue to bank with us’.
RBS state that they have reached an agreement with the local Post Office, at the nearby Spar shop, so that ‘our customers can check their balance, deposit and withdraw funds, and business customers can get coinage’. And the bank notes there are five Post Offices within two miles of the branch.
It said: “We intend to retain our ATM in the local community, and there are also over
30 free to use ATMs within one mile of the branch.”
And it added: “Our nearest branch, Dumfries High Street, is 0.1 miles away which we e investing up to £600,000 in this year.”
