TSB closures: Anger and dismay from politicians and customers

Politicians have reacted with anger and dismay at plans to close TSB branches in Kirkcaldy district.

The bank is set to shut the doors in Templehall, and Burntisland – leaving the latter town without a bank.

They are among seven Fife branches in a Scotland wide closure.

Kirkcaldy SNP MSP David Torrance said the communities will be “devastated” by the loss of local services.

He said: “At a time when many are feeling isolated, a face-to-face banking service in the local community is indispensable for my constituents and vitally important to many who remain reliant on local branches, particularly the older generation who may not have access to online resources.

"They act as a hub for many small towns, and, in the case of Burntisland, will leave the town without any banking facilities at all. This is simply not acceptable.

“In addition to much valued local employment, bank branches provide day-to-day services that many local businesses depend on for their operations.”

Mr Torrance has asked for an urgent meeting with the bank’s chief executive, and added: “It needs to rethink this decision and allow our High Streets to fully recover from this pandemic.”

Councillor Neil Crooks, convener of the town’s area committee and Labour member for Kirkcaldy North said the Templehall branch has been a cornerstone of banking activity for local people and businesses for many decades.

He added: “There always seems to be footfall in and around the bank, but that can be misleading, I guess, as online banking, like shopping, is the choice of growing numbers of people.

“We saw with Tesco and M&S that once these decisions are taken, closure is inevitable.”

Councillor Kathleen Leslie, (Burntisland, Kinghorn and Western Kirkcaldy, Conservative) said the closures were disappointing she would be writing to TSB to express her concerns.

Gordon Langlands, Labour councillor for the same ward said the writing was on the wall after opening hours were cut last year: "This makes life more difficult for residents not signed up for internet banking, and may result in people carrying more money on them or stashing their savings under the mattress.

"It is also disappointing that the banks have not embraced the idea of collaborating and sharing a facility. On the positive side we still have the Post Office which hopefully will see a boom in business.”

Councillor Lesley Backhouse, SNP member for the ward, said the closure beggars belief: “I am appalled at this decision because it is a busy branch. A lot of businesses use it and we have quite an elderly population who prefer banking face to face. “

Reaction among customers was equally negative.

One said: “There are two TSBs in Kirkcaldy – we need them both. Templehall will be a loss for the people who live here, I can’t understand the decision.”

Another said: “It is well used by pensioners who don’t have cards or computers. It is also handy for the shops and the businesses up here and what will happen to the bank staff?

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