It was disappointing, if not depressingly predictable, to hear that the TSB is planning to shut 164 more branches across the UK – including the one here in Turriff.
We have sadly become used to these announcements from the big banks over the past few years.
Every time, figures are produced to show the drop in footfall that reflect a change in customer behaviour.
People are just not using bricks and mortar bank branches in the way they used to.
More of us do our banking online, using mobile phone apps or by telephone.
However, there are still plenty of people – many of whom are older and do not always have access to transport – who still rely on that face-to-face contact with a teller.
I spoke with representatives from the TSB when this announcement was made. I was provided with a break-down of the statistics for customer usage.
The Turriff branch is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays and has nine regular weekly customers. That was before the COVID-19 lockdown which reduced custom even further.
As things stand, the branch is due to close in March next year. The TSB are encouraging those who still used the branch to use the Post Office instead, or to travel to Banff.
That will come as little comfort to those who rely upon the bank, and the staff acknowledged that they may choose instead to take their business elsewhere.
The biggest problem in Turriff is that the town has already lost a Royal Bank of Scotland, and the future of the Bank of Scotland is also in doubt.
With the imminent closure of the TSB in March next year, the town centre will be faced with another empty shop unit.
This latest setback just underlines the need to rethink our town centres.
The RBS building in Turriff shut two years ago, for example, and it is still lying empty.
There have been plans to convert the old RBS site. The first suggestion was for a restaurant and take-away, but the proposal was withdrawn. The most recent application was for flats, but that was refused by council planners.
The longer these buildings lie empty, the bigger the impact there is on the look and feel of the town centre.
Turriff is lucky to have a thriving High Street, and it regularly features in competitions to recognise the best in the UK.
However, based on my conversations with the TSB, the decision has been made, and will not be reversed.
If that is the case, then the focus must be on finding a buyer for the property as quickly as possible.
TSB has told me that they would make the building available for local charities if there is any delay in selling the property.
Ideally, all these units would be retained for either retail, hospitality, or office use. If housing is the only option, then at least it would bring empty units back into use.
In the short term, the town centre must be as accessible as possible.
I share the concerns of the Turriff Business Association about the bollards and one-way system introduced as part of the Places for People programme.
I have asked the council to review these measures to assess any benefit – and the negative impact – for local traders.