Bank of Scotland asked to reinstate ATM in Golspie following branch closure
The Bank of Scotland, which closed its Golspie branch in February, is being urged to reinstate an ATM in the village.
Golspie Community Council has written to the bank pleading for the “urgent” reinstatement of the ATM.
The move was prompted by a local resident who attended the group’s meeting on Monday night to report difficulties with the village’s sole ATM, which is located outside the Co-op store on the Main Street.
Community council chairperson Henrietta Marriott has now written to the bank and has also asked Sutherland MP Jamie Stone and MSP Maree Todd to bring their influence to bear on the issue.
In her letter, Mrs Marriott wrote: “I am writing on behalf of the community of Golspie and many residents from further afield who regularly transit through our village.
“We are gravely concerned about the removal of the ATM following the closure of the last remaining bank branch in the whole county of Sutherland in February.
“Following the recent cyber attack on the Co-operative retail company (the only supermarket in Golspie), the ATM quickly ran out of notes.
“Once the Post Office had closed for the day, there was no other method of obtaining cash outside normal working hours, and the Co-op could only take payment in cash because all electronic payment systems were compromised.
“This is a formal request to the Bank of Scotland to urgently reinstate the operational ATM in Golspie.
“In light of recent power outages in Europe and London, it is essential that the public can withdraw hard currency in order to pay for the purchases of basic necessities such as food, tokens for power meters, travel to work (vehicle fuel, tickets for public transport etc).
“We look forward to your response in the very near future.”
