Nat West Board invited to Dundee over bank closure

Dundee Strathmartine Ward councillor Daniel Coleman and local campaigner Jenny Blain have today invited the Board of the NatWest bank to Dundee as part of their campaign to get the banking group to reconsider its decision to close the Dundee Kingsway Circus branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The RBS Local Director advised local councillors on Friday of last week of a change to the branch closure date as follows:
“I am writing to inform you of changes to the announced closure of the Royal Bank of Scotland Dundee Kingsway Circus branch.  
In light of new legislation to further protect free access to cash in our communities, we are working with the FCA and industry to provide further detail on cash services available in your constituency, and to ensure we are supporting customers in locations where our branches are due to close later this year. “ 
“As a result, the Royal Bank of Scotland Dundee Kingsway Circus branch will remain open for longer until we conclude this work. This means that the branch will no longer close on 08 October 2024.   
Our customers are being notified of this change, and from 08 October 2024 will be still able to use the branch during its usual opening hours.   
I will be in touch in due course to provide a further update on the new branch closure date.” 

Councillor Coleman said:
“Although I am pleased the bank branch will not now close for good in about a fortnight’s time on 8th October, the bank has maintained its position that it intends nonetheless to close the branch in due course.   The Sword of Damocles still sits over the branch despite the fact it is extremely well-used by RBS customers, has a very busy cash facility and is the only bank branch left in Dundee serving the north of the city.”
“In light of this, I have asked bank management to invite the Board of the NatWest Group who own the branch to visit Dundee to see the branch for itself, before any action is taken to close it.  Too often the decisions on the future of local banking are taken hundreds of miles away by board members who have never visited the community impacted by a bank closure and have never set foot in the threatened bank branch.”
“I am therefore inviting the Board on NatWest to see this excellent bank branch for itself, to see the excellent staff and customer relations and the high levels of footfall for themselves.    No decision should be taken to take away vital banking facilities by faceless bureaucrats hundreds of miles away who have never even bothered to visit Dundee and the bank branch concerned.”

Local Liberal Democrat campaigner Jenny Blain added:
“The bank postponing the closure has given new impetus to our campaign to save the branch.  Closing the branch would have a really detrimental impact on access to banking in the local area, particularly for the digitally excluded and those who are less mobile and cannot travel longer distances to access face to face RBS banking.   There is also a really negative effect on local businesses who are RBS customers.”
“This Royal Bank branch is a busy one and it serves a huge part of the Dundee population who live in the north of the city.   The area north of the Kingsway has a huge population and to lose this key bank branch would be a real loss to the community. “  
“I am very concerned indeed by the Royal Bank’s actions and the effect a closure would have on our local community – in particular the residents of Downfield, Kirkton, Ardler and St Mary’s.”
“Councillor Coleman’s motion at the City Governance Committee of Dundee City Council to oppose the closure received unanimous cross-party support from councillors and the NatWest Board owes it to the local community and its Dundee customers to visit the branch before any further move to close it is made.”