And finally…café bans cash after RBS branch closure

And finally…café bans cash after RBS branch closure

A Perthshire business is turning away paying customers who want to use cash because the owners now face a two hour round trip to deposit it after the local bank closed its doors this week.

The Habitat Café in the Highland town of Aberfeldy has told the local Courier newspaper that it will now only take card payments and its owners blame Royal Bank of Scotland for giving them “no option” due to the 60 mile trip the bailed out lender’s decision has placed on them.

Owner Mike Haggerton said he had been left “without adequate banking facilities” as a result of RBS’s branch cull and “no option”, if he is to continue trading.



A mobile RBS branch is due to visit Aberfeldy every Monday for one hour and 45 minutes but the services available are limited.

Mr Haggerton informed customers of his new payment policy via a sign at the café that read: “RBS is closing over 60 branches across Scotland, leaving rural communities without adequate banking facilities.

“This means that to deposit takings we would have a two-hour and 45-minute round trip to Perth.

“We don’t want to go cashless but RBS has left us with no option if we want to continue trading and employing people.

“Thank you for understanding.”

While the newspaper was unable to contact Mr Haggerton, who was on holiday, for comment, Highland Perthshire SNP councillor Mike Williamson said he thinks other small businesses will be forced to follow suit.

“When I look at the round trip they face and the cost that incurs I’m not surprised at all,” he told The Courier.

“The mobile bank can only deposit a limited amount and even then, queuing up in the street holding thousands of pounds is a security issue.I think we will see more of this coming. I expect people to look for a simpler solution than weekly trips to Perth.”

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