Petition launched to save TSB branches in Fife

The bank revealed this week that it would be closing 73 of its branches in Scotland, with the loss of 300 jobs as part of cuts across the UK.

One of the candidates in the running to represent the SNP at next year’s Holyrood elections launched a petition shortly after the announcement.

Rhuaraidh Fleming, who worked for former North East Fife MP Stephen Gethins, raised his concerns with the bank’s chief executive, Debbie Crosbie.

He has also started a petition with 38 Degrees in the hope that the bank will listen to appeals from its local customer base.

Mr Fleming said: “North east Fife has had to put up with the systematic erosion of services by private companies, notably bank and post office branches, in recent years. This has got to stop.

“The East Neuk has been particularly affected with only a couple of years having passed since the RBS shut up shop in Anstruther leaving the TSB as the last bank branch in the entire East Neuk area.

“In choosing to leave towns, companies like the TSB are only looking at the effects on their corporate balances and are completely ignoring the people who will be affected by these cuts – particularly their own, hardworking staff.

“Companies like the TSB, and RBS before them, need to understand the importance of their services, but also their presence, in these communities. People who would be affected if any local branches close have spoken with me already and I hope that the TSB will look favourably upon north east Fife by sparing this constituency from their cuts agenda.”

He added: “I would strongly encourage anyone who wants to see an end to cuts in banking services in north east Fife to sign this petition and send a message to the TSB.”

Signatures can be added to the petition at you.38degrees.org.uk/p/tsbnortheastfife.