Bank of Scotland to close branches in Lanark, Lesmahagow and Strathaven

Bank of Scotland is to close three of its branches in South Lanarkshire later this year amid declining in-person use by customers.

Its branches at Bloomgate in Lanark and Abbeygreen in Lesmahagow will shut their doors in August, followed by the bank at Common Green in Strathaven at the start of December.

Customers are being redirected to other local branches plus online and phone banking options; while local politicians have expressed concern about the closures and have met with bank officials to voice their constituents’ concerns.

The Lanarkshire closures are among 10 across Scotland to have been announced by Bank of Scotland following reviews of how the branches are used, changes to trends over the past five years and alternative options such as online and phone banking used by customers.

Information documents from the bank say that counter transactions at Lesmahagow, which will be the first to close on August 12, have more than halved over the past five years, falling 56 per cent for personal customers and 53 per cent for business transactions.

Lanark, which will close on August 13, and Strathaven – due to shut on December 3 – have seen similar average counter transaction reductions of 43 and 39 per cent respectively.

Between 71 and 80 per cent of customers at the three branches were also identified to have used phone or internet banking or alternative branches in the six-month period up to November 2023.

They are now being directed to the next-nearest branches at Larkhall, Hamilton and Wishaw, as well as each town’s nearby post office and cash machines.

A community banker will also visit each area on one day per week following the closures, while bank officials say they have also informed ATM network Link “who have independently assessed the access-to-cash needs of the local communities on behalf of the Cash Action Group”.

Bank of Scotland officials confirmed to Lanarkshire Live that all staff currently working at the three affected branches “will be offered a role at another branch or in another part of [the] business”.

Mairi McAllan, the Clydesdale MSP, and Lanark councillor Julia Marrs arranged a meeting in the town with Bank of Scotland representatives – where they shared their “disappointment at the news” of the three closures.

Now they say they have asked for discussions with Link about “further work to safeguard access to cash and banking facilities in the areas affected”, and want to look into options such as the banking hub in Carluke which provides services from a number of banks.

They said: “Constituents who face the loss of yet another banking branch in their communities; we will continue to voice their concerns to Bank of Scotland, and put anyone in touch with them who requires help.

“Over the past couple of years, we have worked hard with stakeholders to establish alternatives to fill the gaps left when these branches leave, such as the banking hub in Carluke – and we are keen to explore options for elsewhere to ensure constituents in Clydesdale are not left without access to essential banking services.”

Clydesdale South councillor Ross Gowland, whose ward includes Lesmahagow, posted on X: “This presents a major blow to Lesmahagow – I will be writing to the Bank of Scotland to ask them to defer the decision and provide a real alternative.

“It was very disappointing to hear they are closing their Lesmahagow branch, [and] the community banker will be a far reduced service.”

He added: “61 per cent of bank branches in Scotland have closed since 2015 – this is a poor long-term decline in banking services. Business rates must be reformed to tackle empty properties and get our high streets busy again.”

A Bank of Scotland spokesperson told Lanarkshire Live: “More and more customers are choosing our mobile app or online banking to manage their money.

“Alongside these online options, customers can also bank with us at the Post Office or by speaking to one of our community bankers in Lanark, Lesmahagow or Strathaven.”

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