The UK’s Cash Access and ATM network, LINK, has confirmed it is recommending a new assisted cash service for Peterculter, following a sustained community campaign led by North East Scotland MSP Liam Kerr which was supported by hundreds of local residents.
The announcement represents a notable development for communities along the lower Deeside corridor – a roughly eight-mile stretch between Anderson Drive and Peterculter that once had eight bank branches but now has none. The area’s communities, including Cults, Bieldside, Milltimber and Peterculter, have all seen their local banking infrastructure disappear over recent years.
Dr Chris Ashton, Chief Commercial Officer at LINK, confirmed the decision: “We know cash is very important and we’re grateful to Liam Kerr MSP for raising recent issues with LINK. We’re pleased to confirm that we’re recommending additional cash services in Peterculter.”
The recommended solution is an assisted cash service – a provision that falls short of a full banking hub, which would offer staffed counter services delivered on a rotating basis by multiple banks.
Cash Access UK, the industry-funded body responsible for implementing such services, has listed a deposit service for Peterculter as announced in February 2026, with an expected delivery date of May 2026.
The move follows an earlier setback for the area. A banking hub application brought forward by Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber community council was previously rejected by LINK, prompting Kerr to intervene directly. The MSP wrote to LINK, citing concerns raised by constituents at surgeries, in local shops and on doorsteps, before launching a formal petition that garnered hundreds of signatures.
Kerr acknowledged the progress but signalled he would continue to press for more. He commented:
“I’m glad LINK has acknowledged my petition, the hundreds of local signatures it gained and the issue of cash access in Peterculter and across Lower Deeside. Despite the move towards online, cash remains king for so many, including the most vulnerable in society, those living in rural areas and of course the small shops and businesses that are the lifeblood of our local communities. While my preference would be to have a banking hub, I await to see the full details of these proposals and will continue to push for the best result for my constituents.”
In Case You Missed it:
Cash Access UK will assess the locality and determine the precise delivery format in the coming weeks. Residents seeking their nearest free cash access point can use the LINK Cash Locator tool, while those wishing to raise local cash access concerns can do so directly via link.co.uk.
