Bank of Scotland closures: Linlithgow and Bathgate

Following the announcement that Bank of Scotland would be closing the last remaining physical bank branches in both Linlithgow and Bathgate, there has naturally been a lot of concern amongst residents and businesses. Councillor Sally Pattle met with a representative from the Bank of Scotland in July and it was confirmed that both branches would definitely close in 2025, but here is what we can expect to mitigate the loss of service provision:

• A banking hub to be operated by Link has been proposed for both towns. The hub would be open Monday to Friday each week, with different banks having a presence on different days so customers will still be able to arrange an appointment, or drop in to see a representative from their bank on their allotted day.
• All the usual banking facilities would still be available in the hub on a daily basis – no matter who people bank with – the counter service will be operated by the Post Office, who are actively recruiting staff to man the counter.
• The hub itself will be located in a bespoke premises (i.e. not a currently operating post office), the search for suitable locations in both Bathgate and Linlithgow has apparently started.
• The closing date of the Bank of Scotland branches has been delayed until June 2025 to give more time for the banking hubs to open. This closing date could be pushed back further if the hubs are not open. December 2025 is the ultimate closing date, they will not stay open beyond this time.
• Both ATMs and the night safes will be removed by Bank of Scotland when the branches close. Link may choose to install ATMs in the new hubs, but there is no information on whether this will definitely happen, and there are no plans to replace the night safes.

Obviously, this is far from an ideal situation. As Councillor Sally Pattle says:

"The loss of the final physical bank branches in both Linlithgow and Bathgate will cause huge disruption for both personal and business customers across West Lothian. As a frequent user of the bank in Linlithgow for business purposes, I see how busy the branch is on a weekly basis, so I cannot understand the justification given that not enough people are using it.

“Losing our bank will also mean two fewer ATM machines in the town, as well as the loss of the night safe – vital for business customers. There are still many customers who are unable to use online banking services for various reasons, and there are times when it is essential to speak to a human face to face. While I welcome the plans for banking hubs in future, I am deeply concerned about any gap in service provision while they are established and I will be keeping in close contact with both the Bank of Scotland and Link to ensure that this doesn’t happen.”