Hawick is to become the latest Borders town with a new banking hub, alleviating concerns raised by the Bank of Scotland’s (BoS) decision to close the town’s last remaining stand-alone branch next year.
Owned by the Lloyds Banking Group, BoS revealed this month its plan to close 13 branches in 2026, including its Hawick branch in October, as a reaction to the public shift towards managing money online and ongoing falls in the numbers of people using bank branches in person. With TSB and Santander closing their branches in July, that was set to leave Hawick and its population of around 14,000 without any in-person banking facility.
The announcement prompted a backlash of criticism, led nationally by Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, whose constituency includes the last remaining banks in Dingwall and Nairn, in the north of Scotland.
However, LINK, the UK’s Cash Access and ATM network, had already agreed that a new banking hub will be delivered in Hawick as one of 11 hubs recommended for approval across the UK. In total, 244 banking hubs have been recommended to date.
Banking hubs are shared banking spaces, similar to a traditional bank branch, but available to all banking customers, and it also provides a counter service operated by Post Office staff, enabling customers to withdraw and deposit cash, pay bills and carry out regular transactions.
Private consultation rooms will also be available, where customers can meet on certain days with community bankers from their own bank, to discuss more complicated matters that require specialist knowledge or privacy.
”While more people are switching to digital banking and payments, we know many people still rely on and choose to use cash. That’s why we’re delighted to recommend Hawick as one of 11 new hubs
Chris AshtonChief Commercial Officer, LINK
The process has now begun to find a suitable location for the Hawick hub, with lease agreements and planning permissions then to be put in place. The plan is to complete the process and open the hub inside a year, to follow on immediately from the Bank of Scotland bank closure next October, but if there are delays Cash Access UK will look into temporary solutions. Local people and businesses can track the process on the Cash Access UK website.
SBCC Vice-Chair Laura Middlemass said: “We were very disappointed to hear that the last remaining bank in Hawick is planning to close its branch next year because it does remove a valuable daily service from the town and the businesses across the surrounding area.
“Many small and rural businesses, especially those in retail and hospitality, are heavily reliant on cash transactions. Micro and start-up businesses often benefit from local branch relationships to support funding requirements, and this will be lost on that daily basis with this decision by the Lloyds Banking Group.
“However, the Chamber and our network have been working hard with the Scottish and UK governments, local councils and South of Scotland Enterprise, as well as a number of banking organisations, to ensure that where banks do pull out there are services put in place to support businesses.
“So, we welcome the news that a banking hub is to be created in Hawick, and we will be providing all the support we can to ensure that we can find a suitable location, that it provides a good range of services, and that it is open before the Bank of Scotland branch closes.”
What is a Banking Hub?
Visit the Cash Access UK website for a full explanation.
