The Bank of Scotland has revealed why it is closing the last bank branch in Girvan.

The Lloyds Banking Group announced plans earlier this year to shut the Bank of Scotland branch in Dalrymple Street on February 21 next year.

Due to the branch's closure, Girvan customers are now facing a trek to their new nearest branch, either by heading 20 miles to Ayr or 28 miles south to Stranraer.

A Bank of Scotland document revealed why the local branch is closing.

The document said: "The world is becoming more digital than ever before and more of our customers are doing their everyday banking online.

"With more customers choosing to use digital ways to bank and manage their money, visits at this branch have fallen. As a result, we've made the difficult decision to close it."

The bank has said that they have weighed up many factors before making their decision. Including how often customers use the branch, current services available in the branch, public transport assessments and the area's broadband availability amongst others.

Read More: Plan to shut Girvan Bank of Scotland branch is slammed

Bank of Scotland has said that it has seen a 41 per cent decrease in personal customers using the Girvan branch since 2018, and a 46 per cent decrease in business customers.

Cash machine transactions have also dropped by 18 per cent from 2018, the bank confirmed.

BoS also confimed that 70 per cent of customers using the Girvan branch also used other Bank of Scotland branches, internet banking or telephone banking.

The Link Group - a consortium of major UK high street banks -  said Girvan had been chosen as one of the next locations for a 'community banking hub', in light of the closure of branches in the town.

Allan Dorrans MP for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock, said: "I have received notification from the Lloyds Banking Group informing me that they will be closing a further 17 Bank of Scotland Branches including those in Cumnock and Girvan. They propose to replace these with banking hubs in both towns by 2024.

"They also provided information on the reasons for the closures which indicated that the Cumnock branch has seen a decrease in customer usage of almost 30% since 2018 and that the decline in Girvan has been over 40%.

"I am opposed to these closures taking place.

"Along with other Members of Parliament whose constituencies are affected by these closures, I have written to the Bank of Scotland to request a formal meeting to discuss these closures and we are currently awaiting confirmation of this meeting taking place.

"In addition, along with 15 other MPs I have submitted an Early Day Motion to Parliament calling upon the Secretary of State to work with the Scottish Government to prevent closures and protect communities access to banking services and cash.

"The closure of banks in these towns will adversely affect the elderly, people without access to the internet and small businesses who rely on banks for banking facilities, cash and coins and will result in the loss of staff from the branches affected.

"We need to do all we can to prevent these closures taking place.

Elena Whitham MSP added: "The closure of the Bank of Scotland in Cumnock and Girvan is understandably of concern to the people who are reliant upon in-person banking services, especially small business owners and the elderly. The Bank of Scotland has contacted me to discuss their reasoning and I have been representing the interests of constituents to them.

“I have been reassured that a Banking Hub is planned for Cumnock and Girvan. These will be a similar style to the one that recently opened in Troon which has been well-received for its flexibility in allowing multiple banks to use the space to reach their customers.

“I am in contact with Cash Access UK and I am pushing for these hubs to be opened as soon as possible.

“The Bank of Scotland has also informed me that all branches closing are within 1 mile of a Post Office which offers essential bank counter services. They are also liaising directly with business owners in the town to ensure their needs are met.

“For better or worse, banks, and nearly every other sector, are moving further to digital as consumer habits change. We need to make sure they bring our rural communities along with them. As the MSP for Cumnock and Girvan, I will be following developments closely and advocating for constituents.”

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