11-05-2025
Campaigner hits out at politicians over bank closure near Glasgow
The Main Street branch of Bank of Scotland (BoS) in Barrhead is set to shut on May 21 with its cash machine also to disappear.
As the clock runs down towards this date, Sean Clerkin, the founder of the Save the Last Bank Campaign, has urged politicians to 'pull their finger out' and do something about the impending closure.
He said: 'I met with Renfrewshire South MSP Tom Arthur weeks ago and he said he would get back in a week with an update but weeks later we have not had a single update from him.
'We have had meetings with councillor Danny Devlin and West Scotland MSP Paul O'Kane but (fellow Labour politician) Blair McDougall, East Renfrewshire's MP, never came to the meetings or tried to make contact with our group.
'The bottom line is time is running out and as a community we are very disappointed in the politicians so far.
'They have not done anything that has resulted in anything.
'They should be ashamed in themselves.'
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Responding to Sean's comments, Mr McDougall and Mr O'Kane outlined the action they have taken since the closure was announced, including a petition which attracted 5,000 signatures and writing letters to Lloyd's banking group opposing the closure.
Mr O'Kane also said he had written to LINK, the UK's cash machine network, to seek clarity on their rationale for recommending the closure and to urge the body to review the impact assessment it made.
Furthermore, he said the pair have also held a meeting with Lloyds officials to highlight their dissatisfaction with LINK's impact assessment of the branch closure and have called on the bank to prevent compulsory redundancies.
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Mr O'Kane said: 'From the first day of the closure being announced I opposed it to Bank of Scotland.
'When it became clear that they would not change course, I vowed to do everything that I can to ensure access to services in Barrhead.
'I will continue to pursue every solution working with Cllr Devlin on a credit union and pressing for access to more post office banking services which I believe could be a welcome alternative for local people.
'Blair McDougall, Cllr Devlin and I have been very clear that we would welcome all partners to work with us to secure a credit union and more post office banking services.'
Blair McDougall MP, Councillor Danny Devlin and Paul O'Kane MSP outside the bank (Image: Sourced) Mr McDougall added: "I have organised a petition with hundreds of local people from Barrhead which has been presented to the bank, I have met with the bank, I have met with government ministers, and I have written to LINK multiple times regarding the need to a community banking hub in Barrhead.
"I will continue to work tirelessly to make sure that Barrhead does not become a banking desert.
"Mr Clerkin's time would be better spent putting pressure on the bank rather than attacking a local representative who is leading efforts to save it.'
Cllr Devlin and Mr Arthur have been contacted for comment.
