Having learned that the TSB plan to close their branch on Forres High Street, Forres, Moray MP Douglas Ross and his colleague Councillor Claire Feaver have commented about what this closure will mean for local residents and businesses.
Douglas said “TSB have confirmed that their branch on Forres High Street is to close in April 2022, due primarily to a downturn in footfall and a rise in on-line banking. However, the loss of these banks from local high streets leaves some people in difficulty with relation to accessing their banking services.
“Large parts of Scotland are now akin to banking deserts as towns and villages are being abandoned whilst these organisation cater for on-line demand. Many homes in our area still don’t have access to superfast broadband, which can make online banking difficult, while local businesses still need somewhere to deposit cash at the end of the day or week.
“In many places, people are finding that there may not be a bank left at all. That is why banks need to do more and in this day and age and should be looking at banking hubs and shared services.
“Sadly this news of TSBs withdrawal from Forres High Street is just another in a long list of banks withdrawing from communities here in Moray and across the country.”
Councillor Claire Feaver added “Today we learn that yet another Moray bank is closing and yet another on Forres High Street. I am really concerned that if this continues we will end up with no banking facilities in our rural towns and villages. The key issue here is that not everywhere is served with superfast broadband, which in turn makes on-line banking difficult. Our elderly and infirm do not use the latest technology and they want to be able to go to the bank to source their own money.
“ The time has come for banking giants to actually think about it’s customers, think about the locations they are abandoning and the overall negative impact on the communities affected."
