RBS to close branch at Dundee University
Students at Dundee University are set for a shock when they return from their festive break to learn that the Royal Bank of Scotland is to close its branch at the union.
The RBS branch at the students' union.
- By Alan Wilson
- Published in the Courier : 29.12.11
- Published online : 29.12.11 @ 11.31am
The Courier understands the closure of the campus branch has already been decided and staff have been informed. RBS is expected to formally confirm the move in January.
A source said the closure was part two of three ''waves'' of closures, the first having involved the Lochee High Street and Ninewells Hospital branches earlier this year.
The source said: ''It's definitely happening — the staff have been told and it's to be announced in January. This is the second wave and there will be a third wave later in the year.''
It is also understood that the closure will take effect around March or April, although it is not known yet whether the Dundee University Students' Association branch will be the only one affected.
The news will shock returning students as, according to a source, the branch was formerly the busiest cashpoint in Scotland in terms of withdrawals from its ATM.
No one from RBS was available to confirm the closure, although it is customary for RBS to break the news to its staff first before announcing any closures to its customers through posters at the affected branch.
Attempts to contact DUSA president Ian Kennedy for comment were unsuccessful.
Dundee-based Labour MSP Jenny Marra, who led the fight to keep the Lochee branch open, said it was another blow to the community and another example of RBS shutting branches while declaring its commitment to communities.
She said: ''I am disappointed that RBS is closing another branch in Dundee. This will put more pressure on the chief office in the high street where queues are already far too long.
''When RBS threatened to close the Lochee and Ninewells branches I asked to meet them and they told me that they would put extra staff in the high street branch to ease the waiting time.
''I will now be asking if they did this and if they will put extra resources in the High Street branch now that it will be seeing even more customers.''
She added: ''Now that the RBS is back in profit after a taxpayer bailout they should be investing in over-the-counter services that their loyal customers want to use, not shutting more branches, making people travel further and wait longer to do their banking.''
01.58pm - 29.12.2011 John Jones - Dundee, Scotland Report This
A Labour politician's ignorance about business rears its head once more. RBS lost £1.6bn in 2010 and £800m in this year's first half, while taxpayers/shareholders are currently £25bn under water: they'll need to make vast profits to boost the share price enough for us ever to get our money back.
03.51pm - 29.12.2011 Daniel Wilkes - Dundee, UK Report This
RBS will lose a lot of business as a result of this as they lose with it their effective monopoly on society accounts. They are already haemorrhaging student current accounts as a result of their (now somewhat relaxed- thanks Which?) "pay in £750 every three months or else" policy. No business sense
02.27pm - 30.12.2011 G - Dundee, United Kingdom Report This
I heard our president changed his name to 'Iain Kennedy Unavailable For Comment' to ease confusion, given how often the phrase comes up.
01.18am - 31.12.2011 robbie - edinburgh, scotland Report This
How odd Jenny Marra should be getting criticised. A Labour govt. allowed the banks to run riot, but how quickly people forget that it other party leaders, S.N.P.'s Salmond for example, who wanted less regulation and who egged Goodwin on to buy the Dutch bank, the straw that broke the camel's back?
04.38pm - 04.01.2012 Stuart Allan - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Seriously robbie? You think RBS bought over ABN on the alleged say so of the leader of 27 MSPs? Really??? The UK Chancellor, G.Brown, famously urged banks to "do more of what they were doing" at the height of the bubble. Whose words do you think had the greatest impact on RBS' corporate strategy?
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