Barclays customers in Dumfries face cross-border branch trip
- Published
When the Dumfries branch closes the nearest Barclays will be over the border in England
Barclays customers in Dumfries face a trip across the border to Carlisle for their nearest branch after the Scottish site shuts later this year.
It is one of a a number of offices the banking giant has decided to close across the United Kingdom.
South of Scotland MSP Colin Smyth described the need travel to England to a branch as a "ridiculous situation".
Barclays said methods of banking had changed and it had had a "big impact" on customer numbers at branches.
The Dumfries site is one of 14 announced in the latest round of branch closures by the bank.
It said it would still offer a range of other options via its app, phone banking or at Post Office branches.
The south of Scotland office is set to close in October this year.
Mr Smyth said it was a blow for both staff and customers.
"We have become used to banks axing branches on a regular basis, but the fact this is a branch in the region's largest town shows that no bank branch is safe," he said.
"The closure is the last thing Dumfries town centre needs, given the fact the High Street is already on its knees and can't even boast having a main Post Office in the town centre.
"Given Barclays growing profits, this decision shows that banks have no social conscious whatsoever and care little about the impact their decisions have on communities or their staff."
Barclays said that due to the fall in customer numbers using its branches it had to "constantly assess" how and why they were used.
It said that meant there would be times when it had to make the "difficult decision" to close a branch.
Are you affected by this issue? Will this closure have an impact on you? Send your thoughts to dumfries@bbc.co.uk, external.
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- Published6 July 2023
