“Cashless”? Revolting In The Scottish Highlands - And ANYWHERE Else!

More brilliant in depth reporting in The Herald Scotland from Martin Williams.

Most Scots want “cashless” almost as much as they want England to win the FIFA World Cup 2026™ - Canada, Mexico and the United States !

But it’s seemingly not about what the Scottish public WANT and NEED - it’s about what the big banks, now controlled from London, can be bothered to provide.

Until 2016, a community such as the lovely Edzell in Angus - population 800 - merited a Bank of Scotland branch and an ATM.

Ten years later, there are only TWO Bank of Scotland branches in the whole of Angus, pretending to service the cash and face-to-face banking needs of 115,000 Angus residents. Who do the Bank of Scotland - and their partners in creating Scottish bank and 24/ 7 ATM deserts Royal Bank of Scotland - think they are kidding?

The YouGov survey quoted in the survey revealed that the vast majority of Scots want to be able to use cash; have 24/7 ATMs available locally; and be able to drop into a community physical bank branch to get face-to-face advice.

The Payment Choice Alliance has made clear that every community in Scotland - and, indeed, around the UK - with 5000 or more residents must have a Banking Hub, fitted with 24/7 ATMs and able to provide full face-to-face financial services advice, 6 days per week.

This means the UK requires a minimum of 1200 full service Banking Hubs.

In addition, an entirely independent appeals body should be set-up - NOT LINK Scheme Ltd OR Cash Access UK, which are both controlled by the banks - to allow communities with fewer than 5000 residents to make their case for having a Banking Hub. Decisions should be speedy, with “YES” favoured as an outcome.

Richard Lloyd OBE, Chair of the HM Treasury Access to Banking Services Review, must be delighted. There is so much good he can do to help the public in Scotland and around the UK.

We wish Richard well with his vital work.

Source: heraldscotland.com/comments/26217733