Why pop-up 'bank hubs' are being explored as Scottish towns compete over one bank branch after closures

But in about a month’s time, the branch - the only bank in the town - will be closing altogether and taking the ATM with it.

There are already big queues at the two remaining free cash machines in the East Ayrshire town that have to be shared by 9,000 people, local councillor Neill Watts said.

“There are a couple of others, but they charge, and no one wants to have to pay £1.50 or £2 every time they get cash out,” he said. His concern is access to free cash, particularly for towns and villages with an older demographic that are less likely to deal with money via online services.

Mr Watts said if anyone requires an in-person appointment for various services, including setting up a bank account for children under 18, it’s about an hour-round trip.

“If you need other branches, you have to travel to Ayr or Kilmarnock now, and we’re about 15 miles from each,” he said.

A temporary bank hub has just opened in the town’s library because of the demand for face-to-face appointments for various banking needs. There are plans for it to become permanent, with discussions on reinstalling a cash machine to the town. But in-person services would still be limited, with a different branch, not all, being represented on certain days of the week.

Cumnock is one of many villages and towns throughout rural Scotland feeling the pressures of bank branch closures across the country in recent years.

Dunbar, in East Lothian, which has a population of about 10,500 people, just lost its final bank when the Bank of Scotland closed its branch there earlier this month. Community group Sustaining Dunbar is working on gaining funds to purchase the former bank building to use as a bank hub and office space.

Paul McLennan, minister for housing and SNP MSP for East Lothian, said the continued branch closures across the region were “extremely frustrating, especially given the projected scale of population growth across this part of the country”.

North Berwick, about 12 miles from Dunbar, which was recently voted the top place to live in the UK, is down to one bank branch.

Craig Hoy, Scottish Tory MSP for South Scotland, said the “acceleration of closures” was concerning for the elderly or people who lived in rural areas who could not easily switch to online or telephone banking. “When banks are closed, it is vital banking hubs and mobile services are offered, but these still don’t make up for the loss of bricks and mortar banks which serve local communities,” he said.

From October 2023 to December this year, Bank of Scotland alone will have closed 38 branches, which includes their ATMs.

Earlier this year, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), now branded under the NatWest Group, announced plans to close 18 of its 86 branches across Scotland.

As of December last year, there were only 404 bank branches left in Scotland, with 636 banks and building societies closing since 2015 - more than 60 per cent in just nine years.

The number of pay to use and free to use cash machines has also reduced, from 4,555 to 4,312 in the past year, according to figures from LINK, the UK’s largest cash machine network.

The company, however, said 302 shops were now offering cash at the till, which is “cashback without purchase” - a service that was launched and has grown over the past two years. Free cash back is also available at post offices.

A spokesperson for Bank of Scotland said the reduction in branches was due to more customers choosing its mobile app or online banking to manage their money.