Virgin Money bosses are being urged to rethink the decision to close its Banchory branch next year.
Conservative MP Andrew Bowie said the closure will leave many of his constituents unable to access “vital services”.
Last month, it was announced that the bank on Banchory’s High Street will be one of 12 to be closed in Scotland.
In his letter, the West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP wrote: “Banchory is a large rural town with a population of some 8,000 residents.
“It is the main town along the Deeside corridor and, as such, offers vital services to a much larger number of people residing in the many rural settlements within easy reach.
“Whilst I appreciate the reference to ‘other ways to bank’, the reality is many are not as accessible as they would be in an urban area.
“Internet banking is an option, but in an area known as one of the worst for broadband and mobile coverage it is certainly not a solution.
“Redirecting customers to the Aberdeen branch may also look like a feasible option on a map but is certainly not the case in reality. Not only is Aberdeen some 25 miles away but these are rural roads and harsh winters often make them less accessible.”
Decision based on ‘a number of factors’
A Virgin Money spokeswoman said: “We regularly review the ways customers use our stores, as well as our online, mobile and telephone channels, so that we can adapt our services to meet changing customer demand.
“The number of customers using bank branches for day-to-day transactions has been on a downward trajectory across the UK banking industry for a number of years, and this has been further accelerated by the pandemic.
“The decision to close a store is based on a number of factors, including location, usage, proximity to alternative stores and lease arrangements.
“Each store was assessed on an individual basis, with careful consideration of the impact on the local area, as well as the needs of vulnerable customers and the accessibility of alternative services such as free-to-use ATMs and Post Offices.”
In his letter, Mr Bowie has also argued against the suggestion that customers should instead use their local post office, highlighting that Banchory only has a small counter within the Co-op which would not meet the town’s needs.
He added that he hopes to meet with Virgin Money representatives soon and will update the residents who use the bank as soon as he can
Customers forced to travel miles
Virgin Money customers in the north will be forced to travel hundreds of miles when their nearest branches close in 2022.
For those in Portree, the nearest Virgin Money bank will become the Fort William branch which is 108 miles away – with a journey time of five hours.
Similarly, Wick customers will have to choose between a 208-mile round trip to Inverness or a 76-mile trip to Kirkwall via boat.
At the time of the announcement, the firm said it was closing branches due to fewer customers using them and that it was a decision “not taken lightly”.
The Banchory branch is planned to permanently close on January 28, 2022.