Commenting after TSB confirmed that they were reducing opening hours at their Forres branches to three days per week, Conservative representatives have commented
Moray MP Douglas Ross said:
“Having already lost other branches completely in Forres, the reduced number of days that TSB will open is a further blow to residents and businesses in the town. This move follows a worrying trend of bank closures in communities across Moray.
“Although the bank is remaining open, it is a worry that the reduced hours will turn customers away, footfall will drop further, and the viability of the branch could be questioned.
“Forres is a large town with a busy high street and banks are an important part of this, which is why I want to see more done to protect our branches. I’m seeking a debate in Westminster to urge the UK Government to do more but I also believe banks have to step up and meet the needs of their customers.
“They should have a moral obligation to provide services in local communities. Reducing their hours in the way TSB have done with the Forres branch brings into question their commitment to towns like Forres and I hope different bank branches could work together to provide a banking hub in communities to allow customers who wish to bank in person in Forres to be able to continue to do so, no matter which bank they are customers of.”
Moray Councillor for Forres Claire Feaver said: “We have already lost the Clydesdale and RBS. And now this announcement. We are rightly proud of our High Street but we must make every effort to persuade the remaining banks not to reduce their service further otherwise we could see a significant decline in footfall.”
Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston said: “From the evidence we have seen it is clear that bank closures can have a profound effect on communities. A study by carried out by Cambuslang Community Council in Lanarkshire after three bank branches closed between 2016 and 2017 and submitted as evidence to the economy committee revealed that the closures worsened social exclusion and undermined government policies for town centre regeneration and led to people shopping elsewhere.
“Of course, Forres is a very different community from Cambuslang, but the study underlines how seriously we must regard the potential impact of loss of banking facilities to a high street.”
