Brechin, Forres, Carluke, and Kirkcudbright have been chosen for shared banking hubs that ensure services are available in areas where the last bank branch has closed, reports suggest.
The hubs, run by the Post Office, enable customers of any bank to access their accounts, deposit cash and cheques, and withdraw money at any time. Trickier enquiries are dealt with by representatives from each of the major banks who each visit once a week.
John Howells, chief executive of Link, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Cash is disappearing at a frightening rate, and so are ATMs and branches and it is not acceptable to leave communities without access to cash.
“There is real investment and effort going in by the banks now… but now that pace needs to be picked up.”
