The closure of the last bank in Clarkston has been branded a "bitter blow" to older and vulnerable customers in the community.
Bank of Scotland branches in Clarkston and Riddrie are among the 60 branches to close across the UK, adding to recent closures as Lloyds Banking Group chiefs say customers are choosing to sort their finances online.
The lending giant announced yesterday it would close 24 Lloyds branches, as well as 19 Bank of Scotland and 17 Halifax sites.
The Clarkston branch is to shut for good on July 4 – following previous decisions by RBS Santander and TSB to close their banks in the town in recent years.
SNP council candidates for Clarkston, Netherlee and Williamwood, Cllr Annette Ireland and David Tam McDonald, have written to Bank of Scotland CEO António Horta-Osório to urge him to reverse the decision.
Annette said: “It’s shocking that Bank of Scotland are planning to close the last bank in Clarkston, with no say from residents.
“Not everyone has the skills to use digital banking, and removing the last face-to-face service is a bitter blow to older and more vulnerable residents who need help with their everyday banking.
“Bank of Scotland must urgently rethink this decision and ensure that their customers in Clarkston can easily access local banking facilities.”
Tam added: “The Clarkston branch of Bank of Scotland is a thriving hub for the community and a vital services for residents and businesses alike.
“At a time when the cost of living crisis is biting, it is unacceptable that one of the country’s most profitable banks is asking people to shoulder the additional cost of travelling further afield to another branch.
“Bank of Scotland’s decision short-changes the people of Clarkston and must be reversed urgently.”
Caren Evans, national officer for the union Unite, said: "Lloyds Banking Group must not be allowed to abandon 60 more local communities where bank branches play an essential role.
"The 124 employees who work tirelessly in their communities are dedicated to serving the banking needs of the most vulnerable who depend on their skilled services.
"When a bank branch closes, the heart of the local community is ripped out and the results are devastating. Unite is clear that simply leaving an ATM in place of a vibrant bank branch is wholly insufficient.
"The banking sector needs to answer some serious questions about its corporate social responsibilities and the Government cannot stand back and allow the relentless closure of banks to continue until no more local banking services remain."
The news follows several other closures from the bank, which said in October it could close 48 sites, and announced 44 closures in June last year.
The bank said it had seen a 27% rise in use of its mobile banking app over the last two years, and a 12% rise in regular users of its online banking system.
Now 18.6 million people regularly bank online and 15 million use the mobile app.
A Bank of Scotland spokesperson said: “Just like many other high street businesses, fewer customers are choosing to visit our branches. Our branch network is an important way for us to support our customers, but we need to adapt to the significant growth in customers choosing to do most of their everyday banking online.
"When our Clarkston and Riddrie branches close, customers can continue to bank with us local Post Offices, and access cash via free-to-use ATMs nearby."
