Call for banking ‘hub’ in Fife town to offer face-to-face services

That is the opinion of councillor Margaret Kennedy, who has called on banks to form a ‘marketplace’ or ‘hub’ where they can share space in the town to offer face-to-face services.

Cupar has lost its RBS and Clydesdale bank branches in recent years, and is set to lose another, after TSB announced its Cupar branch would also be closing.

Cllr Kennedy said people and businesses who rely on face-to-face services are losing out.

“While I appreciate that many banking services have moved online, local businesses still depend on face-to-face banking; and I’m particularly concerned about the impact of the closure on the elderly and vulnerable in our community,” she said.

“I’ve been campaigning for banks to change their way of thinking for some time now. Their continued promotion and delivery of a traditional model of banking is simply not sustainable in current times. They need to adopt an innovative approach to adapt to society’s needs.

“Therefore, I’m continuing to call for a kind of banking ‘hub’ or ‘marketplace’ where different banks can share a space in the town to offer a face-to-face service that doesn’t involve expensive overheads – yet maintains an important option for those who need some extra help, or just want to do their banking with a real person without the anxiety or hassle of having to travel a considerable distance.”