South Scotland MSP Craig Hoy has met with the owners of Sanquhar Post Office to discuss the pressures they face as a result of the ongoing wave of bank closures.
Mr Hoy met with Barry and Mary Ford to discuss growing concerns following local bank closures and confirmation that some banks will imminently stop accepting cheques deposited through the Post Office network.
Following recent bank closures in Sanquhar and Thornhill, Mr Hoy heard how more and more people are using Post Office counters to conduct everyday banking.
But Mr Hoy learned how this is putting a strain on other services and is resulting in significant inconvenience for those customers who still require traditional face-to-face banking services.
Craig Hoy said: “The increasing number of bank closures is a very real concern. Barry and Mary are doing brilliant work in Sanquhar to try and offer banking services, but bank bosses and Post Office management need to work out how they can better support local sub-postmasters who now have to try and deliver banking and cash services on top of their existing responsibilities.”
Lloyds Banking Group, which owns Halifax and Bank of Scotland, is set to withdraw the capacity of Post Office counters to take cheque deposits from December 31st this year.
Mr Hoy described the move as “another blow to customers” and has written to officials at both the Post Office and the banks involved to understand the rationale behind the decision and to urge them to reconsider the move.
Mr Hoy added: “Post Offices have become a lifeline for people to access essential banking services. With so many bank branches closing across Dumfriesshire, removing cheque deposits is another blow to customers and will force them to travel long distances just to manage their money.
“During my visit to the Sanquhar Post Office almost every customer was carrying out a banking task, many depositing cheques or withdrawing cash. This hammered home how much post offices are being asked to do to make up for the closure of High Street banks.”
Mr Hoy has a meeting with Lloyds Banking Group officials soon and will ask them to reverse the decision and has urged Post Office bosses to explore what more can be done to support sub-postmasters to deliver services once provided by banks.
