A North East village’s only bank will close at the end of this month, forcing residents into a 30-mile round trip to access their next nearest branch.
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has confirmed its New Deer branch will close its doors on Tuesday, November 26.
It comes after a decision on the closure was delayed amidst concerns over new Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules guaranteeing access to cash in communities.
But in a letter to Gordon and Buchan MP Harriet Cross, RBS said the FCA is now satisfied the bank is “providing appropriate support to help customers do their banking differently” in the area despite the next nearest branch being in Fraserburgh.
Ms Cross has voiced her anger at the decision, describing the decision as a “betrayal” to residents and local businesses in industries such as farming who regularly rely on the New Deer branch.
Scottish Conservative MP for Gordon and Buchan, Harriet Cross, said: “I’m deeply disappointed and frustrated that RBS has been given approval to close the New Deer branch.
“It’s totally unacceptable that customers, who want or need the option of banking face-to-face, will now be forced to travel to Fraserburgh.
“This is a betrayal of residents and local businesses, particularly in sectors such as farming, who will be hugely inconvenienced by travelling miles to make deposits or consult their account manager.
“At a time when Ellon’s last bank shut only a few months ago, this closure is a further hammer blow to New Deer and those living in the likes of Maud, Auchnagatt and Stuartfield.
“Decisions like these are leaving the elderly and most vulnerable socially isolated as they are finding it increasingly impossible to manage their money because more and more barriers are being put in their way.
“I am committed to ensuring residents have access to in-person banking which is why I will be writing to RBS asking how it plans to help both customers and staff who have been left out in the cold by this decision.”
Royal Bank of Scotland have said the move has come after the discovery that over 80 per cent of account holders prefer online services to in-person banking.
An RBS spokesperson said: “Our customers are using digital banking more than ever before.
“Over 80% of our active current account holders now use our digital services and over 97% of accounts with us are now opened online.
“Nonetheless, not everyone can access digital services and many others still rely on in-person transactions.
“This is why our branch network remains important to us and these change in customer behaviour means we are providing a smaller number of better branches in locations that are more accessible to a wider range of customers and that have better technology and facilities to respond to community needs.
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“To that end, we are investing £10.5m in our network in Scotland, from 2023/24.”
A number of bank closures were announced by RBS in April due to increasing usage of digital banking services.
