Wick banking hub ready to open after revamp of former RBS

Wick’s new banking hub is set to open its doors this Friday – a fortnight before the closure of the town’s last remaining bank branch.

The hub is situated in the former Royal Bank of Scotland in Bridge Street, which has been undergoing major refurbishment in recent weeks.

Banking hubs are owned by Cash Access UK, a not-for-profit company owned and funded by nine major banking providers, and are operated by the Post Office.

Lesley Wilson, community engagement officer for Cash Access UK in Scotland and Northern Ireland, confirmed today that the hub will be “opening to the public to trade” on June 13.

This is to be followed by an official launch on Friday, July 4.

Mrs Wilson called it “great news” for Wick, and said “fantastic work” had been done on the refurbishment.

The Bank of Scotland, on the other side of Bridge Street, is scheduled to shut on Wednesday, June 25. The RBS branch closed just over seven years ago.

A community banker service will see different banks being represented on a rota basis to deal with what Mrs Wilson refers to as “more complicated banking matters”. However, basic banking can be done any day of the week, Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm.

Since 2018 Wick has lost its RBS, TSB and Clydesdale Bank branches as well as Virgin Money.

Related stories:

Former RBS manager says banking hub will be ‘a huge plus for Wick’

Banking hub in former RBS hailed as ‘a success story for Wick’

Cash Access UK happy to bring Wick’s former Royal Bank ‘back into the community’

‘Misconception’ to be overcome ahead of Wick banking hub opening

Joy Jackson, who has been running Wick’s post office within the Poundstretcher store since June 2023, has the role of banking hub operator. At a drop-in event held at the East Caithness Community Facility last month, she reiterated that the post office is remaining within Poundstretcher.

Mrs Wilson explained at the time: “We’ve now got three banks confirmed. On a Tuesday we’ll have a representative from TSB, on Wednesday we’ll have a representative from RBS and on Thursday a representative from the Bank of Scotland.

“They’ll be there from nine to five on their allocated day and they’ll be able to deal with more complicated banking matters.

“But obviously nine to five, Monday to Friday, people will be able to do all their basic banking regardless of who they bank with.”

All monetary transactions that can be carried out in a post office can also be done in a banking hub. However, banking hub customers are not able to send parcels or buy stamps.

The post office opening times remain 9am to 12.30pm, and 1pm to 4pm, Monday to Thursday.

There are now more than 160 banking hubs across the UK. After the Wick one opens, a further 14 are planned in Scotland.

An ATM will be installed where the former RBS cash machine used to be.

In a branch review released in June last year, Bank of Scotland said: “Most customers are now using our mobile banking app, internet banking or calling us instead.

“This means they are using branches, including our Wick branch much less. Because of this, we’ll be closing our Wick branch.”

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