Badenoch and Strathspey to be left soon with just one bank branch
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Badenoch and Strathspey is going to be left with just one dedicated bank branch for the entire area from early Spring.
The Bank of Scotland has confirmed it is axing its Grantown branch from March 22.
It means the BoS in Aviemore will be the sole surviving bank in the strath.
Grantown had three banks as recently as summer 2018 when the RBS closed and the TSB has since followed.
Local Highland councillor Muriel Cockburn said: “I am saddened to see confirmation of this closure. It is another banking blow to our area.
"This will leave no bank in Grantown and only the Post Office for counter service.
"It leaves another important building empty in Grantown. The whole of the strath has been badly served by the banks."
The bank had been due to shut last June but was given a reprieve by BoS bosses in early lockdown because of the Covid-19 crisis.
There had been hopes in the community that this would be made permanent.
A Bank of Scotland spokesperson said: "Our customers’ needs are changing. Over 17 million people now bank with us through internet banking and over 12 million use mobile banking.
"Branches will remain vital in meeting customers’ needs but we must continually review our network to make sure we have branches in locations where customers need and use them the most.
"As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to close this branch because customers are using it less often."
There will be a new mobile branch service visiting Grantown following the closure.
The bank currently opens four days per week 10am to 4pm. The bank's own statistics reveal the Grantown branch is most used by those aged 75 and over who account for one-fifth of its customers.
The bank said 95 customers use the branch on a regular monthly basis.
