Sutherland banking wilderness flagged by MSP fighting for Tain service
CALLS for a shared banking hub in areas hit by the prospect of losing their last local branches have been stepped up.
And massive gaps in provision affecting Sutherland have been used by a local MSP to argue her case.
As previously reported, Tain, Dingwall, and Gairloch are all set to see the closure of Bank of Scotland branches early in the new year.
While there’s hope of some further cash access services being set up in light of the Dingwall closure — with no specifics yet detailed — the prospect for Tain and Gairloch looks bleaker.
LINK’s initial assessment concluded that no further cash access services were required in Tain or Gairloch.
But now that assessment by LINK,the UK’s cash access and ATM network, is being challenged by local MSP Maree Todd, whose patch is Caithness, Sutherland & Ross.
Her colleague Kate Forbes has already challenged the closure of the Dingwall branch, which falls in her Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency.
Referring to Tain, Todd said that many residents and businesses in Tain and the surrounding areas continue to rely heavily on the branch, particularly in light of previous bank closures across the area.
She is also calling for consideration of a shared banking hub to ensure reliable access to essential financial services that fully meet the needs of Tain and its surrounding communities.
She said: “The closure of the Tain Bank of Scotland branch risks leaving banking provision unfit for community needs and could increase financial exclusion across Easter Ross and Sutherland.
“Since the Golspie branch closed earlier this year, there are no longer any banking branches in Sutherland. This has left many local residents and businesses dependent on the Tain branch in Easter Ross, which is now also set to close.
“The alternative being proposed — a community banker — simply cannot meet the full range of banking needs, particularly for older residents and cash-reliant businesses.
“With the Dingwall branch also due to close, the nearest Bank of Scotland branch for many in Easter Ross and Sutherland will be in Inverness. For those in Tain, that is a 70-mile round trip.
She added: “This situation is completely unacceptable. A full reassessment is urgently needed—one that considers local financial vulnerability, the limited and costly public transport options to the nearest branch, age demographics, digital connectivity, and the essential role the Tain branch plays for the town and surrounding rural communities.
“We have already seen a banking hub established in Wick following the loss of local branches. Given the situation in Easter Ross and Sutherland, it is difficult to understand why a similar solution is not being proposed here.
“This is a practical, common-sense response—protecting vital face-to-face services and ensuring that businesses and residents who rely on physical banking are not left behind.”
On the situation in Gairloch, she said: “Many residents and businesses in Wester Ross rely heavily on the Gairloch Bank of Scotland branch – the only physical branch in the area, that is now due to close.
“The alternatives offered by Lloyds Banking Group, including telephone and online banking, fall short of meeting the community’s full banking needs.
“I am particularly disappointed that not even a community banker—while not a complete solution—is being offered here, unlike in Tain, which is also losing its local branch.
“With the Dingwall branch also set to close, the nearest Bank of Scotland branch for people in Gairloch and surrounding communities will be in Inverness—a nearly four-hour round trip.”
Calling for a full reassessment there too, she said a banking hub should also be considered fior Gairloch.