The Royal Bank of Scotland’s Rutherglen branch is set to close its doors for the last time this month, a decision that local MSP Clare Haughey has condemned as “a disgrace.”
Clare voiced her disappointment after the bank confirmed the closure of its Main Street location, which had previously been postponed for review due to new legislation aimed at safeguarding community access to cash. Originally slated to shut down in September, the branch’s fate hung in the balance for a brief period, leading residents to hope that the bank might reconsider in light of the strong local opposition to the closure. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed when RBS announced at the end of September that the closure would indeed proceed.
The branch is scheduled to close on Tuesday, November 19.
Clare commented, “I met with bank representatives back in April, urging them to keep the branch open, but they indicated that a decision had already been made. When the postponement was announced, I again implored them to reconsider, stressing the community’s strong feelings against this move.”
With the nearest RBS branches located in Parkhead, Shawlands, and Glasgow city centre, Clare has heard from numerous constituents expressing their frustration over the final decision.
She continued, “Residents are justifiably angry, questioning how a review could conclude that ‘access to cash’ is maintained amidst a series of closures in Blantyre, Burnside, Cambuslang, and now Rutherglen. My constituency office is right across the street from the branch, and I’ve seen firsthand how busy it gets. This announcement from RBS is unacceptable; they have repeatedly failed their customers in this area.”
