LOCAL shop owners have hit out at the banking crisis as the town was left without services last week.

RBS in Helensburgh shut last week despite efforts by politicians and businesses, while the Bank of Scotland branch reduced its hours.

On Friday, that left only the Post Office in Morrisons Daily on West Princes Street - and they have recently had staffing and technical issues.

RBS have opened a temporary "pop-up" once a week in the town as a transition as they divert people to the Post Office and mobile banking.

Toni Taylor, of Nature's Harvest, said on November 22: "Currently unable to bank anywhere in Helensburgh. Pay day for most small businesses - the service is ridiculous."

Other businesses in the town waded in on the problem.

Elegance Boutique of Helensburgh said with RBS closed, they stood in a queue at the Post Office for 30 minutes, adding: "We all need to stand together on this - it's unacceptable, especially as our town is a busy wee town."

(Image: Newsquest)

Fabric & Finery said the "cubby hole" Post Office was too small for parcels and banking.

They said: "It's not working, it has not been thought through.

"The Post Office team themselves are great but they really cannot swing a cat in there and it is constant.

"So, obviously people get impatient but the girls and Billy get the wrath of it and that's not fair. It's not their fault the queues are so long. There ARE times in the day when its quieter than others, I am currently trying to suss out when that is."

And Hora Watches Limited added: "The town needs a fully staffed post office. The queues have been over 30 minutes every date to drop off a parcel. It is a vibrant busy town - much more is needed."

Wendy Hamilton, of the Federation of Small Business, said: "One small Post Office to serve a town the size of Helensburgh is clearly not sufficient service under normal circumstances, let alone a situation where our banks are all but closed meaning businesses in the area will now need to use the Post Office and add further pressure there.

READ MORE: Helensburgh 'at risk of no banks at all' say business leaders

 

"The town clearly needs additional Post Office services and functioning banks."

RBS closed its branch on November 20, while the Bank of Scotland reduced its hours earlier this year and is now closed on Friday.

The Post Office in Churchill shut in early 2023, leaving just the Morrison's Daily for service.

RBS is running a pop-up service for 12 weeks at Helensburgh Community Hub from 10am to 2pm on Mondays only. They are offering information on how to use mobile and digital banking, how to bank at the Post Office, and very limited services.

Brendan O'Hara MP said: “I met with Toni in Helensburgh on Friday and I reckon she spoke for many businesses and individuals in the town who are understandably very concerned at the rate of bank closures we are witnessing.

"Over the years I have seen far too many communities across this constituency left without a bank, I have seen the detrimental impact those closures have had, and I do not want to see that happen in Helensburgh.

"But we do have to realise that there is a direction of travel as High Street banks abandon all pretence of a having a social responsibility, particularly towards their elderly and rural customers.

"That is why I am in regular contact with LINK, who assess the need in a community and Cash Access UK, the body responsible for creating banking hubs in areas where every bank has closed its doors, in an attempt to have them plan now for the day that Helensburgh may become the latest town to befall that fate.

"It would be unthinkable for a town the size of Helensburgh to be without banking services, even for a day, and I pledge to work with business and individuals to ensure that does not happen.”