An official appeal has now been lodged against LINK’s decision not to award Ellon a banking hub alongside a petition that gathered almost 650 signatures in only a week.
Gordon and Buchan MP Harriet Cross has submitted a 16-page appeal highlighting that Ellon is the largest town in Aberdeenshire without a bank.
With a population of 10,130 in the town and 13,810 including surrounding villages and hamlets, she said it would be “unthinkable” for LINK not to overturn its decision.
Ms Cross’ appeal has been presented alongside her petition which has gathered 630 signatures in only seven days.
In the appeal document, Ms Cross raises concerns about LINK’s errors in Ellon’s population data and retail data omissions, which she says undermines the assessment’s reliability by failing to reflect the town’s needs.
LINK’s Cash Access Assessment guide indicates that towns with 40 or more businesses in the town centre are eligible for consideration for a banking hub, with a higher likelihood of being recommended if the number of businesses in the town centre exceeds 70.
Ms Cross believes the number of town centre businesses in Ellon stands at 71, including the regular Farmers Market, and not 52 as LINK stated in its original decision.
In her appeal, she has also referenced the lack of ATMs across the town, the impact it has on Ellon’s two post offices, and the cost of public transport to nearby banks in places such as Inverurie, where there are only four bus services to there from Ellon before 5pm.
Ellon has been left without a bank following the closure of the Bank of Scotland, situated in The Square, last September.
In November 2023, the town’s Virgin bank closed while the TSB on Bridge Street shut in 2022. Meanwhile, the Royal Bank of Scotland, also on Bridge Street, closed in 2018.
In the official appeal, Gordon and Buchan MP Harriet Cross said: “Ellon comfortably exceeds the population threshold required for a banking hub, with the latest census data indicating a population of 10,130, making it the 6th largest town in Aberdeenshire and therefore unthinkable that it should not warrant a banking hub.
“Indeed, all the towns that are larger than Ellon still retain bank branches making Ellon the largest Aberdeenshire town without a bank. By comparison, Huntly, which has a population of 4,568, was recently granted a banking hub.”
She added: “LINK’s Cash Access Assessment guide indicates that towns with 40 or more businesses in the town centre are eligible for consideration, with a higher likelihood of being recommended if the number of businesses in the town centre exceeds 70.
“I note that the Cash Access Assessment stated a total of 52 ‘shops on the High Street’.
“However, as discussed on our call, no account was given to Ellon’s thriving Farmers Market. In the past 12 months, over 21 distinct local businesses attended the Farmers Market. In addition, the numerous farming businesses surrounding Ellon have not been given due consideration.”
The appeal continues: “The Post Office’s ability to handle cash is, in practice, ‘spasmodic’, and requires the user to make counter staff aware of their intention to deposit cash in advance. This clearly is an additional burden on businesses and the public that would not be the case with in-person bank branches.”
