By Aileen Robertson

RESIDENTS OF a Fife regeneration area are boycotting a cash machine which charges them £1 each time they withdraw cash.

The community of Abbeyview has joined forces to protest about the ATM at their local office.

Leading the campaign is Abbeyview Regeneration Forum. Sheona Murray, who chairs the forum, said she is in talks with a “major bank” about installing a free cash machine in the area.

Ms Murray said the owners of the cash machine, Cardpoint, could be making up to £950,000 a year out of Abbeyview residents.

However when she spoke to The Courier her anger was directed at Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS), who decided to sell their ATM at the site during the summer.

She said, “Abbeyview residents fought hard to get a cash machine in the area. HBOS were not keen because they didn’t think it would really be used.

“But at the end of the first year figures showed it was one of the best used in Dunfermline with 950,000 hits.”

According to published figures, HBOS sold off more than 800 cash machines to Cardpoint, making them £50 million.

Ms Murray launched a scathing attack on HBOS, who state on their website, “In everything we do we look for ways to contribute to the community.”

She continued, “These companies want to be seen to be helping communities and say they are helping communities, but they are not really helping.

“The Bank of Scotland has made masses out of that machine and could have given something back to the community for selling us down the river.”

Among her concerns about the £1 charge is that elderly people have been taking out larger sums of money, making them more vulnerable to thieves.

“Elderly people have been encouraged to lift large amounts of money from the bank instead of lifting smaller amounts and being charged each time,” said Ms Murray.

“And single parents may only have £10 in the bank account, which they might need to buy their child a school meal, and not be able to afford the charge.

“Fife Council made a deal with Cardpoint to keep the cash machine for a further five years for £4000 in rent a year. I think somebody in Fife Council has boobed because we made one phonecall and found a major bank that is prepared to come into the community and put in a machine that does not charge.”

Ms Murray said she expected to meet representatives of the bank she had contacted in the next two weeks. She said it was possible another, free, cash machine could be set up at another site.

She added, “We’re all boycotting the machine. I go into Dunfermline to get money out of the bank and use my Switch card as much as possible.”

An HBOS spokesperson said, “We made a business decision to move on some cash machines not located at branches. There is a significant cost in maintaining these machines.

“We are committed to keeping all our cash machines across the UK free.

“We looked at the areas involved and made sure there was another option, another free cash machine, within a reasonable distance—a kilometre or a kilometre and a half.

“However we would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to residents of the Abbeyview area.”

A spokesperson for Cardpoint said, “We have agreed to charge a fee of £1 per withdrawal for the use of this particular machine, which is less than our average fee of £1.50.

“In addition, by providing a cash machine at this location Cardpoint is offering the customer a convenient opportunity to withdraw cash which otherwise might not be available.”