MSPs to visit Leven for bank meeting

A number of MSPs from the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee, will be attending a public meeting at the Caledonian Hotel on June 11, between 5.30-7.30pm.

As part of an inquiry, the committee is examining the impact of bank branch closures in Scotland on local businesses, consumers and the economy.

The MSPs are keen to hear the views and experiences of Levenmouth residents, in particular to hear about the impact the branch closures have had and what can be done to address issues that have arisen.

Views gathered from the meeting, as well as from people who share their views at the Scottish Parliament, will be fed into the committee’s final report.

The meeting follows the closure of two major bank branches in Leven last year.

Fife MSP Dean Lockhart, a member of the committee, said: “I have been overwhelmed by the number of emails and letters from constituents across my region expressing concerns about losing their local bank.

“The greatest anxiety is coming from those who live in places such as Leven, where they have lost their high-street banks to be replaced with an inferior mobile banking service.

“The visit of the committee to Leven provides an opportunity for businesses and individuals to provide the committee with their experience of the impact that these closures are having on communities.”

The Clydesdale Bank closed its Leven branch on the High Street in June 2017, while the Royal Bank of Scotland also shut its Leven branch the same year.

RBS also recently made changes to its mobile bank service, cutting the number of days it is spending in the town.

Numbers are limited and places are being allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis. People interested in attending should email [email protected].

If you are unable to attend the meeting, share your views on the bank branch closures, visit www.parliament.scot/bank-closures.