Melrose bank closure leaves town with just one ATM

Once the town’s Bank of Scotland branch in Market Square closes on Monday, the ATM there will be removed, the bank confirmed this week.

Lloyds Banking Group, owner of the Bank of Scotland, announced 23 branch closures in August this year and included Melrose in the list compiled as as part of its strategic review.

It claimed that in most cases, the closures were a result of falling footfall due to customers opting for other banking methods such as online.

The closure leaves Melrose with just one hole in the wall 24-hour access cash machine at the Royal Bank of Scotland near the bottom end of High Street. However, the post office can also be used to make cash withdrawals.

Lloyds has submitted an application to Scottish Borders Council’s planning department for permission to remove the ATM, alarm box, security camera and external signage and lighting from the front of the listed building.

The proposals put forward to the council this month will also see any fixing and wiring holes filled with lime mortar to match the existing red sandstone while the old ATM area will be infilled using red sandstone, with lime mortar jointing and pointing to match the rest of the building as closely as possible.

The significant red sandstone building was designed by George Washington Browne in 1897 as a bank and was listed in 1981 at category B.

Lloyds Banking Group also says that all of its Melrose branch customers have been notified of the closure and have been informed of their closest alternative branch.