Councillors have unanimously agreed to fight for the future of a Helensburgh town centre bank after an urgent motion was lodged.
Helensburgh Cllr Fiona Howard asked that Argyll and Bute Council “deplores” plans to close the Royal Bank of Scotland in Colquhoun Square from Tuesday, September 25.
She called for council leader Jim Lynch to write to the bank’s management expressing concern.
The council will also ask bank owner NatWest to consider its decision, along with the possibility of a banking hub in Helensburgh following the agreement of the motion.
The proposal was seconded by Cllr Math Campbell-Sturgess, and unanimously agreed at a full meeting of the council on Thursday.
Cllr Howard said: “I am asking for this now to coincide with the launch of a campaign at the weekend led by myself and involving Helensburgh Business Group and Helensburgh Community Council.
“The council’s involvement and support will give added impact and encouragement for the people of Helensburgh and Lomond to take up the fight.
“The bank’s closure date is September 25 and I think the council needs to be seen to be acting now rather than waiting till June.”
The motion then said: “Argyll and Bute Council deplores the announced closure of the Helensburgh branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland which will leave Helensburgh and Lomond with only one high street bank to serve the whole population and will have a seriously detrimental effect on the area’s many small businesses and retail outlets.”
Cllr Howard also asked that the authority: “Agrees that the leader of the council should express the council’s concerns to the bank chief executive.
“Also asks bank owner NatWest to reconsider their decision while at the same time engaging with Cash Access UK and other banking providers to explore the possibility of establishing a banking hub in Helensburgh as has been done in a number of other Scottish towns.”
The plans by the Royal Bank of Scotland would leave the Bank of Scotland, on the opposite side of Colquhoun Square, as the only High Street bank in Helensburgh and Lomond.
A petition calling for the closure to be reversed is available here.
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