ROYAL Bank of Scotland has engaged accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael to recommend whether to shut or keep open each of 10 Scottish branches it has earmarked for closure, pledging to accept the advice “in full”.
Unveiling the “independent review” by Johnston Carmichael, Royal Bank said it had “listened to customers, colleagues and elected representatives of all stakeholders”.
Royal chief executive Ross McEwan was grilled last month by MPs on the Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster over the bank’s branch closures.
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Royal said late last year it would close 62 Scottish branches – significantly in excess of one-third of its network of more than 150 north of the Border. It had about 300 branches in Scotland only about five years ago. In February, Royal, in the face of fierce protest, granted a temporary reprieve to the 10 branches now under review, at Biggar, Beauly, Castlebay on Barra, Comrie, Douglas, Gretna, Inveraray, Melrose, Kyle, and Tongue.
The review, which will end in September, will consider total transaction numbers in each branch, and the volume undertaken by non-Royal customers and by people with accounts not based at the branch. It will also examine the number of customers using each branch, “alternative banking options available locally”, and “any circumstances that may have changed since the closures were announced”.
Royal said Johnston Carmichael would seek to meet with elected representatives, local stakeholders and representative groups.
It added these groups would include Age Scotland, Citizens Advice, Disability Information Scotland, FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) Scotland, Inclusion Scotland, the Post Office, the RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People), Scotland’s Towns Partnership, Scottish Chambers of Commerce, and the Scottish Council for Development and Industry.
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